Wolf Man
Directed by Leigh Whannell
- horror
- thriller
The story
With his marriage fraying, Blake persuades his wife Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit his remote childhood home in rural Oregon. As they arrive at the farmhouse in the dead of night, they're attacked by an unseen animal and barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. But as the night stretches on, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable.
What it’s like
Dark, murky night exteriors give way to a farmhouse interior lit by dim lamps, flashlight beams and the cold blue wash of a moon through the windows, with a palette of deep greens, greys and bruised blacks. Leigh Whannell frames much of it in tight, watchful shots that hold on doorways, stairwells and the gaps between rooms, so the house feels like a trap and the woods beyond feel close enough to touch. The sound design does most of the work: creaks, scrapes and low animal breaths from outside, a restrained score that swells only at the edges of violence. Transformation is shown in slow, physical detail, skin, breath and movement rather than quick reveals. Vibe: claustrophobic dread with a sad, marital undertow, best suited to a late night alone with the lights low. It is a remake-style creature feature with a steady, escalating pace, where a strained couple's bond is tested as the night wears on. Violence is frequent and bloody, with gore, injury and a car crash, and the fear is more visceral than gentle. It suits viewers who want tense monster horror with a human core and no comic relief.
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