Werewolves are one of the most iconic creatures in all of horror, with one of the earliest werewolf movies being the original 1941’s The Wolf Man. Just like 2020’s The Invisible Man brought the classic Universal monster to modern audiences, director Leigh Whannell is here to do the same for Wolf Man. But does it succeed? Read on to find out.

Howl Me To The Moon

Just like other horror monsters, the werewolf has evolved over the decades. In more recent and modern iterations, the werewolf has been relegated to being more of a conventional monster usually used in the same way as most typical creature features. However, it did not start that way. Many of the original Universal horror monsters were tragic characters by nature. They were more than simply monsters that wanted to kill or eat people, as they were often veils or symbols for deeper meanings or subject matter, while the monsters were sometimes the humans themselves.

With Wolf Man, director Leigh Whannell has managed to turn the werewolf into a tragic character again. This movie focuses more on the emotional aspects and deeper meanings behind the werewolf, such as the allegory of the cycle of abuse and how one can unintentionally become a monster despite having the best intentions. At its heart, Wolf Man is about a man trying everything he can to stop the cycle of abuse and generational trauma in order to become the best husband and father he can be. This is why Wolf Man is a tragic story, reverting back to the origins and roots of the character being a tragic one.

Lead actor Christopher Abbott is brilliant in Wolf Man, juggling between his inner demons and struggling to maintain his humanity while being cursed with becoming a werewolf. Julia Garner is great as well and she’s no stranger to horror movies, having been in the Rosemary’s Baby prequel, Apartment 7A (she will also be in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie later this year). Together with the young Matilda Firth, the actress playing their daughter, they make a convincing and realistic family, one that isn’t perfect but are all trying their best to love one another. Their emotional chemistry together is also why the tragic element of the movie works so well.

The movie does have a few flaws. Wolf Man is not a conventional horror movie, as it doesn’t have much blood or gore, though there are some gory moments (a bit of body horror during the gradual transformation of the werewolf itself). The movie is also sometimes too dark because the movie takes place within the duration of one night. It might also be a bit of a slow burn for viewers expecting more conventional horror, blood and gore. Just like in The Invisible Man, Leigh Whannel tends to put more focus on the intense atmosphere and creepy vibe.

Another highlight of the movie is that it makes some unique contributions to werewolf lore. Certain scenes showcase the perspective of the werewolf, where viewers can see what it’s like to see from the eyes of a werewolf. The gradual transformation of the werewolf is also a highlight, as we see the character slowly losing his humanity and becoming more animalistic, losing the ability to understand human speech as well as to speak human language. Of course, what makes it all even better are the incredible practical effects. Well-done practical effects will almost always be better than over-using fake-looking CGI (such as in the 2010 The Wolfman remake, which is far inferior to this one).

Moon Night

Ultimately, Wolf Man is a movie worth watching, especially for horror fans looking for the next great werewolf movie. It’s been quite a long time since the last one (2002’s Dog Soldiers, 2007’s Trick ‘r Treat or 2014’s Werewolves Within, probably). While it doesn’t do anything quite as new or refreshing as 2020’s The Invisible Man, Leigh Whannell proves to be a consistently thrilling horror director. This is an amazing start to the year (2025) for horror movies, so let’s hope the streak continues.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100

We attended a press screening of Wolf Man courtesy of United International Pictures Malaysia. Wolf Man premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 16 January 2025.