Wolf

“The animal is out.”

Alright, I will be honest, I have always loved books and films about the supernatural. Werewolves, vampires, and ghosts, oh my! I remember it wasn’t always a popular genre, usually stereotyped for the “weird kids” in high school. Then the book and later film Twilight came out putting vampires and werewolves in the spotlight. And for a while, it seemed to be the only topic of new films coming out. With it came some great films and also some truly terrible ones.

When the film Wolf was suggested for me I was instantly intrigued. This film came out in 1994, way before the Twilight era and I hoped this meant some quality exploration into the world of the werewolf. I could never get on board with sparkling vampires or supermodel werewolf packs that were painfully unrealistic. Yes I know we are talking about the supernatural but shouldn’t some of it be more natural than super?

So I sat down with my coffee, snacks, and canine best friend to watch the DVD copy lent to me. Aging book editor, Will Randall (Jack Nicholson; Chinatown, The Shining), is driving home when he hits an animal and pulls over to inspect the damage. He realizes it is a wolf and although it appears dead he is bitten when he tries to drag the animal to the side of the road. Despite his injury, Will is suddenly full of youthful energy and abilities. Will is fired from his position and replaced with his protege Stewart Swinton (James Spader; Stargate, Crash).





After finding his wife with another man Will becomes involved with Laura Alden (Michelle Pfieffer; Batman Returns, Scarface), his former boss’ daughter. She wants to help him but things began to fall apart when he starts to wake with no memory of where he was the night before. He realizes he must fight to regain control of his life. He uses his new abilities to do just that but at what cost? What is he turning into?

Wolf is slow to start. At first, I found it very difficult to stay focused. It was a little unclear who the characters were in the first few scenes. Eventually, it does flow more smoothly. The soundtrack isn’t remarkable and I found the sound quality to be a bit rough. The music and sound effects were loud and clear but it was difficult to hear the dialogue. Combine that with the soft way Jack Nicholson speaks and I found myself constantly adjusting the volume.

My favorite scenes were filmed in the office building where Will worked. The film takes place mostly in New York City where Will works. However, the building in which they filmed in, The Bradbury Building,  is actually located in Los Angeles California. It is a stunning architectural landmark that was built in 1893. The five-story office building is known for its extraordinary skylit atrium of access walkways, stairs and elevators, and their ornate ironwork. The Bradbury Building is the oldest commercial building remaining in Los Angeles and if I ever find myself in LA again I hope to visit it.




Once I was able to get past the slow start, the story was pretty good. There were a few nice surprises and it had a satisfying ending. I wouldn’t say there was any groundbreaking acting or directing but Wolf’s ending was appropriate and gratifying. I don’t feel that there was believable chemistry between Jack and Michelle so the relationship between Will and Laura felt oddly forced and inauthentic. It escalated far too quickly, even for romantic film standards where love seems to develop in an afternoon. I am a sucker for romance but their relationship was cringy at best.

The makeup or costume for the werewolves in this film was some of my favorite. The full-on wolves were animated props which fits the time period in which it was made but hardly impressive but when they portrayed a human in transformation they did an excellent job. They didn’t need any prosthetics and stuck to hair application, fake teeth, and contact lenses. Although some might not like the visual effect of the contact lenses I genuinely enjoyed it. The teeth and facial hair gave the transformation a believable look.

Overall Wolf had some really nice elements. It was refreshing to see someone going through the transformation that wasn’t a young, beautiful, individual in the prime of their life. The characters in Wolf were relatable and realistic. They had normal human issues and struggled with everyday challenges from all walks of life. It may not have been a personal favorite of mine but it has definitely taken me back into a genre I enjoy very much.

Rating:

Ella Fiore:

Not an instant favorite but transported me back to a genre I didn’t realize I missed.

Jack Savage:

Wolf is an entertaining take on the werewolf genre. Its heavy reliance on metaphors creates an engaging, albeit slow burning, story and that helps it stand out from other werewolf films. I don’t think this is anyone’s best acting though.

Trailer:

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