After the catastrophic failure of The Mummy (2017) and the collapse of the Dark Universe, Universal Studios, together with producer Jason Blum, shifted gears towards more “affordable” projects. This approach proved commercially successful with The Invisible Man (2020), directed by Leigh Whannell. Now, Whannell returns to helm Wolf Man, a reboot of the classic series, starring Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Sam Jaeger, and Mathilda Firth. With a modest budget of $25 million, can this film replicate the success of The Invisible Man?
Blake (Abbott) experienced a troubled past with his father during his childhood. As an adult, he shares a close bond with his daughter, Ginger (Firth), while his wife, Charlotte (Garner), serves as the family’s primary breadwinner. One day, Blake receives information about his father, who has long been presumed dead after disappearing for many years. Blake, along with his wife and daughter, decides to travel to his childhood home, located deep within a secluded forest. Shortly before their arrival, an incident occurs, and Blake encounters a terrifying monster. Although he is injured in the encounter, the family manages to take refuge in his father’s house. Unbeknownst to them, the threat does not solely originate from outside the house but also from within.
I can barely recall the storyline of the classic The Wolf Man (1941) starring Lon Chaney, but the 2010 remake with Anthony Hopkins is still fresh in my memory as a loyal reinterpretation of the original. The newest version, however, bears no resemblance to previous plots. The prologue text sets the stage with a local myth in the U.S., rather than London, marking this as a “full reboot.” A similar approach was taken with The Invisible Man, likely reflecting Blum’s preference for producing low-budget horror hits. Compare this to The Mummy (2017), starring Tom Cruise, which had a production cost exceeding $125 million.
The plot of Wolf Man will feel familiar to horror fans: a family trapped in a remote location, facing threats from a monstrous entity. The only twist is that the danger doesn’t just come from outside but also within. The trailer hints at this plot structure clearly, reminiscent of many zombie films. The storyline is highly predictable, with each scene, even the jump scares, telegraphed well in advance. The only standout narrative feature is its real-time setting, with the events unfolding over a single night. This at least keeps viewers curious about how the family will survive.
The technical aspects, however, are far more intriguing than the story. The film employs several unconventional techniques in camera work and lighting. The camera rotates 180 degrees during certain scenes, such as the accident sequence and the monster’s perspective. It also frequently circles between characters to showcase visual contrasts between human and monster viewpoints, using different tones and color effects. Scene transitions are creatively handled through dimming lights rather than conventional dissolves or fades. The sound design also plays a crucial role, utilizing “POV sound” to reflect the monster’s hypersensitive hearing, amplifying the tension. Lastly, the makeup effects during the transformation into the monster are impressively realistic, even if they fall short of the bar set by The Substance.
Wolf Man doesn’t bring much innovation to the genre, apart from its real-time narrative, monster POV exploration, and convincing makeup effects. Will it be a commercial success? Given its budget, it’s not an uphill battle. With The Invisible Man costing just $7 million and grossing $144 million, Wolf Man has room for profit. As for Whannell’s creative input, this film demonstrates a more varied aesthetic approach, even if it’s not groundbreaking. For horror enthusiasts, this might not be the adrenaline-pumping experience they crave. Waiting for its streaming release seems like the wiser choice.
