I had the chance to sit down and watch the latest Wolf Man (2025) directed by Leigh Whannell on the classic monster that this time is a bit different rather than been just a predator or a curse on a regular man, this time the move involves a lot into family dynamics and personal demons, I think this is one of the reasons for such low scores online for a movie that in my opinion was good enough for a one time watch. This is one of those type of horror movies that are mark, its like making a Jason movie and have him care for his victims, one thing doesn't go with another, it just the same here, eventually werewolf before they transform does care for someone but this movie takes the drama a bit further.
Source
The story develops around young Blake and his military style father on a hunting trip gone wrong in the Oregon woods in the 1990s, where they are face to face with something not quite human, then press the fast forward button; yes time jumps, 30 years and we meet adult Blake, played by Christopher Abbott, living in New York with his wife Charlotte, played by Julia Garner and their daughter Ginger. Blake is a struggling writer living at home and his wife takes her career in journalism. Blake's father has been missing for quite some time but news arrive that he has died and Blakes decides to take his family to his childhood home at Oregon to collect his father's stuff and try to spend some quality time with his wife and daughter.
This is an isolated house that becomes a nightmare for the entire family, a bit cliche too, chaos takes over real quick when a creature attack their car on the road, getting them to crash their truck in the woods and having Blake hurt by what look like another Wolf Man, by slashing his arm is what starts Blake's transformation but the nightmare situation kicks in hard when their guide also gets dragged away by the beast and gets killed. The entire movie happens in a single night making it a bit too long for a single night scene sequence, so it didn't take long for Black starting to feel the effects like it was a deadly sickness instead of a curse as I mention before.
SourceChristopher Abbott does deliver a good amount of intensity to Blake in the early scenes that works very well in my opinion, a man trying to get closer to his family as a husband and father while dealing with childhood trauma, going back to a place that might not be on his favorite list, but it is his performance during the transformation sequences that is the MVP of the movie, being able to not just physically but emotionally suffer through the entire process, that is always a key factor on dramatic scenes of werewolf transformation, the actor has to transmit how painful it is to having your body change and expand so drastically, but this time is a bit different too because he still keeps a man appearance. His performance in my opinion also takes out from Julia Garner's character Charlotte; Blake’s wife, the reason for this is that traditionally the werewolf / wolf man does have a woman he is attach too in a romantic way but she is more of a Diva in my opinion while Charlotte doesn't look like that. Charlotte looks more fragile, like she can't actually defend herself, turn her into easy pray, there is the twist from a career focused journalist to a action here that doesn't fit her too well. There were some touching moments from the movie too and specially from young Matilda Firth who plays the role of Ginger; Blake's daughter, she had to saw her father going through the sickness stages, it was very impressive.
All around the internet the audience reception has been very low, to not say divided because of its low scores, bellow 6 setting an impression for anyone looking into it, I watch it with high hopes but quickly change my mind, still not the worst movie I have seen though and a 6 is a bit harsh. The movie does brake the traditional werewolf ""lore"" and its very predictable too as it progress. Got to say that practical effects also lift up Christopher Abbot performance instead of going full blown CGI, let him cook more drama into the character, but also keeping that human appearance kinda meh the transformation process.
Source
Wolf Man doesn't leaves you hanging at the end, it goes full circle, the ending is satisfying so at least that did well. I'm not going into details because it would be a mayor spoiler although after all Blake does end been the hero for his family. There is a confrontation that felt short and probably would have been better if there were multiple attacks rather than just focus on Blake slow and painful transformation. At the end of the movie the Blake's full transformation can't be stop and not only physically but he also lost his soul, becoming a total beast who I think instead of truly protecting his family was more about territorial, this is when Charlotte had to safe her daughter from the confrontation. Blake did have a final moment with his family, fully transform into a Wolf Man getting them to go across the woods and leaving for ever vanishing into the Oregon forest, it would have been more interesting if we really find out what happen to Charlotte and her daughter but instead the movie just goes mute to this topic.
The opening has some very tense sequences with Blake's young version and his father that will get you hook for sure, the first half of the movie is its strongest as it still doesn't get into the Wolf Man topic, by then you are just waiting for it to happen and then at the arrival of the climax that's where it feels flat. Making a movie with this few characters is not easy, its dark, close environment, its not easy at all but I personally don't think this is a failure but just a movie I watch, kill an hour but would never look back.
As I mention above I don't consider the movie to be a total failure, although I'm not a fan of this kind of lets say "soft" werewolf transformation, I'm more into the fantasy side of things when it comes to monsters like this, after all that's what we want when watching a monster based move, we want the movie to bring to life a creature that doesn't exist so why keeping the physical human side of it?? other than that I'm ok with the rest of the plot and the acting was good, if it wouldn't be for that transformation detail that its intention was probably boost up the drama, it falls flat and took the rest of the movie with it, reason why I only gives this movie a flat 7/10 almost falling into a high 6, would I recommend it?? yeah to kill some time I would.
