Review - Wolf Man (2025)

       Hey guys, Chuck here, and these are my thoughts on the new movie Wolf Man, produced by Universal and Blumhouse, directed by Leigh Whannell, and starring Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, and Sam Jaeger. 

      The movie tells the story of a man named Blake Lovell, who is traveling with his wife and daughter from their home in San Francisco to his childhood home in Oregon. The night they arrive, Blake is scratched by a wolf-like monster, triggering a grotesque transformation in him that could pose a threat to himself and his family. 

       Now, to me, the family aspect between Blake, his wife Charlotte, and their daughter Ginger, is the strongest point of the movie. Seeing how Blake is a loving spouse and parent is genuinely heartwarming, and makes his inevitable transformation into a monster all the more heartbreaking, and Christopher Abbott portrays both the genuine love he has for his family and the fear of his transformation quite well. I also liked Julia Garner's character arc as well, going from workaholic journalist to the parent/spouse that steps up and does everything to keep her daughter safe and try to help her husband with his transformation. As, as far as child acting goes, Matilda Firth was really good as Ginger. 

       The transformation into the titular Wolf Man was also very different from the typical iterations of The Wolf Man that Universal has presented. Unlike most tellings of The Wolf Man, which presents a classic werewolf story, director Leigh Whannell opts to make the titular Wolf Man more human-like as opposed to more wolf-like. Also, the typical stereotypical elements of a werewolf story are done away with, as Blake doesn't howl at the full moon, silver doesn't kill him, and the transformation is handled less like a curse and more like an infection. Also, the transformation is showcased in two perspectives: Blake's perspective seeing his perception of the world around him change, and his family's perspective seeing him go through a terrifying transformation.

         However, I think that a number of viewers will probably be put off by the physical transformation aspect of Wolf Man. The overall look of the titular monster is genuinely grotesque, and involves a slow, hideous transformation that involves mutilation and body horror that can make the most squeamish be drawn away from this movie. Also, the movie takes its time with the transformation, showing it go by in a slow, more psychological and visceral way, as opposed to a quick transformation into something more animal than man. 

       Overall, I enjoyed the work that Blumhouse and director Leigh Whannell did with Wolf Man. It was certainly a unique way to make a contemporary version of a classic Universal monster story, but I personally feel that the contemporary update to a classic monster story was executed better in 2020's The Invisible Man. But, I still like how Blumhouse is updating the classic Universal Monsters, and want to see how they handle the likes of Creature From the Black Lagoon and Frankenstein. As for Wolf Man? Check it out if you're up for it. Otherwise, wait for it to come to streaming.

       Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys in the next review.