In Wolf Man, Blake (Christopher Abbott), inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father is presumed dead. Blake persuades his wife, Charlotte (Julia Garner), to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter. But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal.
Taking cues from the stripped-down approach as seen in 2020’s The Invisible Man, Wolf Man stretches out the iconic transformation sequence over its 103-minute runtime. By lengthening the metamorphosis, the narrative allows for the characters to share a deeper connection one another, thus increasing the stakes. Rather than focusing on the horror element typically associated with werewolves, Wolf Man is more inclined to deliver a story about generational abuse and how the cycle can be perpetuated.
Conversely, the restrain also hurts Wolf Man in numerous ways. With its minimalistic approach, the character design of the titular character leans towards realism, rather than fantastical. In this case, the latter may have been more apt for a movie like Wolf Man. Unlike iconic horror movies like An American Werewolf in London or The Howling, the visual design of the Wolf Man himself fails to make an impression. While it worked tremendously for The Invisible Man, the realistic approach results in a Wolf Man that lacks bite.
Thankfully, the lacklustre visual design of the creature is made up by strong performances from the leads. While the progression of the plot is undeniably predictable, the great performances add to the character dynamics, coupled with an atmospheric setting that create an emotionally effective story. In addition, the incredible sound design and interesting visual effects various sequences efficiently convey the perspective of the titular character, something we rarely see in movies of this nature.
Although Wolf Man is well-crafted on a narrative, technical, and thematic level, its pacing can feel meandering to sit through. The minimalistic direction can often make the movie feel longer than it actually is. Elevated by great performances, the focus on family drama effectively adds to the tragedy of the story, an element that is highly reminiscent of the early Universal Monster movies back in the 1930-1940s. In spite of its flaws, Wolf Man is a decent reimagining of a horror icon.
