My Biggest Peeve With Wolf Man Is Super Obvious, But It Still Continues To Really Bother Me

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🚨 SPOILER ALERT: What follows is a deep dive into the world of ‘Wolf Man‘. If you haven’t watched it yet, tread with caution! 🦺

In my opinion, while “Invisible Man,” directed by Leigh Whannell in 2020, may not be a flawless film, I strongly believe it adopts a flawless strategy. The task was to modernize the terrifying character embodied in the title and this movie succeeds admirably. The storyline, perspective, and themes differ from the 1933 version with Claude Rains, but it maintains the essence of the classic Universal Monster: a scientist named Griffin learns to become invisible, which he then uses to instill fear and terror.

For several months, Whannell’s The Wolf Man kept my anticipation and optimism high, even after the initial negative impression (the disastrous first look). However, one could argue that this high expectation set me up for disappointment when I eventually watched it. As I mentioned in my TopMob review of the film, there were aspects I appreciated, but despite positive adjustments made to the movie following its opening weekend, there is still one major issue that persists and bothers me immensely: fundamentally, it doesn’t truly deliver on the werewolf genre.

In my critique, I’d rephrase it like this: Instead of delving into the technicalities of genre definitions, such as whether or not 28 Days Later truly falls under the umbrella of zombie movies due to its non-undead creatures, it’s crucial to appreciate creative freedom and fresh perspectives on established traditions. To illustrate this point, I was thrilled by how 2020’s The Invisible Man ingeniously employed advanced optics technology instead of the classic invisibility potion.

However, The Wolf Man misses the mark in two significant ways. Firstly, it strips down the rich mythology to mere infection and shape-shifting into a wolf, neglecting the depth that lies beyond these aspects. Secondly, by disregarding its ties to Universal Monsters’ unique legacy, it fails to contribute to the broader narrative that defines this iconic universe.

Where Are The Werewolves?

If you were to ask people on the street about what a werewolf is, they’d typically describe it as a person who transforms into a vicious, wild, hairy creature under the influence of a full moon. This transformation symbolizes the internal struggle between two aspects of human nature (in psychological terms, the id and the superego). The concept has endured for thousands of years due to this timeless idea. However, in the movie “Wolf Man,” the filmmakers choose to focus less on this theme, delving instead into tales of generational trauma and family dynamics. Unfortunately, these themes don’t always seamlessly blend with the action-packed monster scenes, leaving some viewers feeling a bit perplexed.

In this film, the story primarily unfolds during one night, emphasizing the terror of the transformation experienced by the character Blake, portrayed by Christopher Abbott. While it’s fascinating to observe his evolving symptoms, from heightened senses to communication breakdown and drastic physical changes, the film fails to delve deeply into how these events affect his personality and relationships. The creators, Whannell and Tuck, aim to explore the emotional turmoil Blake faces as he revisits his childhood home and confronts the influence of his traumatic past with his survivalist father on his bond with his daughter. However, the narrative seems at odds with this message. If we could witness a few full moon cycles, perhaps the story would better convey these emotional struggles.

However, this approach might not fit the movie perfectly since it appears that, once the transformation occurs, there is no way to reverse it or halt the process. The film does not delve into the supernatural as a whole, nor does it discuss the deep-rooted werewolf folklore, which creates a significant distance between the audience’s expectations of a werewolf story and the actual content presented in The Wolf Man.

Can It Really Be Called A Part Of The Universal Monsters Legacy?

Another aspect that sets this film apart from George Waggner’s 1941 “The Wolf Man” is the minimal discussion about werewolves. Instead, let’s refer to it as a naming conundrum, a common issue in Hollywood. While werewolves are abundant in movie history, the Wolf Man from Universal Monsters holds a unique place. However, this iconic figure does not appear in the 2025 release, which is disappointing. If another studio had produced the same script with a different title, such as “The Face of The Wolf”, there would be no connection made, and Universal could not claim copyright infringement.

As a seasoned movie critic, I must say that the less-than-stellar performance of Universal’s previous Wolf Man film, released in 2010 by director Joe Johnston, might have played a role in shaping the creative direction for this new adaptation. Johnston’s The Wolfman was not a cinematic disaster per se, but it underperformed at the box office (a $150 million production that grossed only $142 million worldwide). This financial disappointment, combined with Blumhouse Productions’ reputation for microbudget masterpieces, likely ensured that a similar debacle would not be repeated in 2025.

However, I can’t help but wonder if the memory of that commercial flop might have influenced the creative process in ways we can’t quite see on screen, potentially impacting the film’s overall development.

In my role as a film critic, I generally evaluate movies based on their unique qualities rather than comparing them to other films. However, “Wolf Man” presents an unusual situation. Some might call it an overreach or misstep, but high expectations from fans of the genre have undeniably affected this movie. Despite some impressive special effects and memorable scenes like the killer spider sequence, it doesn’t quite meet the expected standards. Strangely enough, I find myself hoping that future Universal Monsters productions will focus more on returning to the fundamental aspects of storytelling.

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2025-01-22 04:37