Wolf Man: Leigh Whannell's Werewolf Tale More Yawn than Howl

By Thom Ernst

Rating: C

Werewolf lore has always conveyed more than just the horrors of transforming from man to beast. Inherited themes of addiction, mental health, disease, rage, PTSD, and toxic bloodlines have underlined this mythology for centuries, dating back to variations of the myth around 2,100 B.C. (I know. I looked it up).

In director Leigh Whannell’s contemporary take on the Wolf Man, nearly all these themes—except addiction—are woven into a singular story. That’s more stress than the average man (or wolf) should be asked to carry, even if the angst is divvied between the two.

However, despite being top-heavy in themes, Whannell’s Wolf Man is a plodding, uninspired tale that discards folklore—there are no full moons or silver bullets—and squanders the talent of its cast. Much of the film is draped in darkness, featuring a lot of running, screaming, and growling. Then, to mix things up, Whannell interjects some tiptoeing, whispering, and heavy breathing.

Blake (Christopher Abbott) is a writer living in New York City with his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) and their daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth). He receives notice that his father (Sam Jaeger) has been confirmed dead after months, possibly years, of disappearance from the secluded farmhouse in the Seattle mountains where Blake lived under his father’s strict military gaze.

The fact that his father’s body remains unaccounted for is of little concern to Blake; after all, people have vanished from that area without a trace for centuries. What is vital is that Blake is now free to return to the farmhouse and claim his father’s belongings.

Blake seems to have blocked out an incident from a routine hunting trip with his father. In one of the film’s few compelling moments, where atmosphere effectively mingles with plot to create rare tension, Blake encounters a strange beast: a dark, upright, snarling figure that unravels even his domineering father’s tough exterior. This incident culminates with Blake overhearing his father’s fearful conversations with a neighbouring homesteader, who claims the existence of some terrifying beast.

What a perfect opportunity for a family vacation! Blake sees a chance to save his marriage, strengthen the bond between Charlotte and Ginger, and confront his past demons. He may even get some writing done. So, he packs his family into a U-Haul van and heads off to the remote settings of his childhood trauma.

There are glimmers of hope that Whannell might take a page from The Shining when pitting mother against a crazed father. Unfortunately, these hopes dissolve as the third act limps into a series of frantic chase scenes. Ginger does a lot of screaming, Charlotte furrows her brow, and Blake, caught between the two worlds of man and wolf, tags along like a live-action Scooby-Doo in a moth-eaten dog costume.

The film should be called Whannell’s Wolf Man to distinguish it from the pack of other versions. With what is primarily a three-character story, Whannell’s version plays less like a horror movie and more like an Edward Albee chamber drama. Perhaps, a better title would Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf Man?

Wolf Man. Directed by Leigh Whannell. Starring Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, and Matilda Firth. In select theatres January 17.