Movie review: ‘Wolf Man,’ a thrilling start to 2025
“Wolf Man” takes stress to a whole other level, making for one of the most tense theater experiences I’ve had in a while. Though it may be flawed with clumsy writing, this modern retelling of a classic monster story is undoubtedly well-directed and -acted.
Wolf Man’s legacy in the Universal Classic Monsters canon
Universal Classic Monsters have been in a weird place for a while. Between the franchise’s most recent movie adaptations (“The Mummy” and “Invisible Man”) and the use of the monster characters in theme parks, there seems to be no consistency throughout the brand. While that’s not the end of the world, I hope it finds its footing to create new ionic versions of these characters, rather than aimlessly creating something new every other year.
Now in 2025, it seems the Classic Monsters are being integrated into a new continuity. First, with the upcoming opening of Universal Epic Universe — Orlando’s newest theme park — the Monsters’ world strikes a balance, offering a whimsical atmosphere while still honoring the classic look we know and love.
Image courtesy of Universal
Second, it appears the film industry is moving forward with a more modern, grounded interpretation of these iconic characters, similar to the 2020 movie “Invisible Man.” I’m happy with this, and more importantly I am enjoying what director Leigh Whannell and Blumhouse Productions are doing with these characters. “Invisible Man” (2020) is a horror movie I adore, and find myself revisiting quite often. While I know the grounded take is not everyone’s cup of tea, I find the modern themes give the films an edge that other remakes can’t seem to find. For these same reasons, “Wolf Man” works just as well.
A tale of trauma with impressive practical effects
Props need to be given to Leigh Whannell. He seems to have found a formula that gives us fresh recreations of Universal Classic Monsters using human-driven themes, while also giving proper homage to the films that came before. While Whannell’s “Invisible Man” focuses on relationship trauma, “Wolf Man” hones in on parent-driven trauma and how it’s passed down from parent to child.
Production photos by Nicola Dove / Universal Pictures
Whannell takes his time building these characters. You really feel for them as they end up going through these horrific events. This film wastes no time setting the stakes, eliciting an ungodly amount of stress upon the audience. I’ll be honest: when I get scared in a movie, I hold my ears to avoid jump scares and to manually control my perception of the volume. I’d be lying if I didn’t say there were only about 15 minutes of this 100-minute movie when I wasn’t holding my ears.
Proven again, Whannell is skilled at world-building. There are creative choices made that put you directly in the shoes of Blake (Christopher Abbott), the father who is “changing.” Walking out of the theater, those moments in the point of view Blake were the ones I heard the most people talking about because they were so effective. Adding to that, Abbott’s commitment to the role shines through. You buy both the love he has for his family and the incredible pain he is going through throughout the film.
Speaking of the family, my biggest gripe of the film is the writing. It didn’t take away too much away from the film for me, but there were way too eye rolls and groans spurred from the decisions the families were making — which was frustrating, especially when the stakes were so high.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a true Wolf Man movie without some incredible practical effects. “Wolf Man” excels in the makeup and effects category, using some classic tricks from some of the best “man-to-wolf” transformations in the past 70+ years. Some of the effects are nasty; had me covering my eyes.
I will be honest, “Wolf Man” won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. The modern look and retelling of these characters definitely doesn’t work for every moviegoer. For me, I like it, and I like this iteration of not only the Wolf Man but the Universal Classic Monsters as a whole.
SCORE: “Wolf Man,” 3/5
“Wolf Man” is rated R and is in theaters Jan. 17! There is no post-credit scene.
‘Wolf Man’ in the parks
The moment you’ve been waiting for, when I answer the question every Halloween Horror Nights fan has been wondering for the past three months: “Does the Wolf Man in the new movie look like the abomination that appeared at Halloween Horror Nights last year?”
To answer the question simply, no.
THAT BEING SAID, the Wolf Man that we saw appear at HHN does appear in the movie. It doesn’t look exactly like what we saw last fall, but is fairly similar.
Looking ahead, a different iteration of the character will appear in the aforementioned Epic Universe, where he’ll be seen in animatronic form on the ride Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment. Check out this behind-the-scenes look of the robotic figure in action:
More Attractions Magazine stories:
Follow us:
Ready for adventure? Our trusted partner Universal Fan Travel will handle the planning so you can focus on the fun. They offer free vacation-planning services and have nearly 20 years of experience creating epic vacations. Visit Universal Fan Travel for a fee-free, no-obligation quote today.
