Wolf Man (2025) Review: Leigh Whannell Delivers a Disappointing Howl in the Dark

Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott star in "Wolf Man", Leigh Whannell's latest entry into the Universal Monsters universe.

It’s safe to say that expectations for Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man are incredibly high. Audiences have seen countless iterations of werewolves on screen, whether it’s the movie or tv show for Teen Wolf, Netflix’s Hemlock Grove, or the superior An American Werewolf in London. Whannell’s two previously directed films Upgrade (2018) and The Invisible Man (2020) were both well received. The latter of those films shares familiar territory with Wolf Man being another modern retelling of a classic Universal Monster. The original Wolf Man movie was originally released in 1941 and with a creature as popular as the werewolf, it gets to a point where originality becomes the main topic of discussion.  Which brings up the question, how was director/writer Leigh Whannell going to make his version standout? 

Wolf Man follows main protagonist Blake (Christopher Abbott), as he finds out his estranged father has finally been confirmed deceased. With this news comes a set of keys that belong to the house where Blake grew up but also hasn’t been to in numerous years. Blake decides to take his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) up to the house in Oregon for a getaway masking as an attempt for familial bonding time. Instead, they go face to face with an unknown creature that forces Blake into a slow and grueling transformation shaping him unrecognizable to his own family.

A story as simple as a family trapped in a desolate house fighting off an unknown evil should benefit from strong performances from its cast. Christopher Abbott pulls off the gentle yet guarded dad figure with ease. Julia Garner on the other hand is where the film heavily relies on, and her execution falls flat in comparison. Once Blake is in his transformative state, Wolf Man requires Garner’s performance to invoke more emotion toward her husband’s demise, yet she never ascends to that level of despair. It’s hard to invest in the situation when the characters don’t sell their performances.

An interesting angle that Whannell took with his version is by showcasing the transformation from the perspective of the victim and treating what is historically known to be a curse, as a disease. All enhanced senses that a werewolf would adopt such as hearing, smell, and vision are all uniquely seen and heard on screen, as Blake is going through this plague-like process. These two angles are new to me, and I’ve never seen them in a werewolf film. The audience gets a first-hand look at the transformation, not just from the physical exterior but from the psyche and mental process of the interior. It seems like a gimmicky approach, but it’s pulled off very well as it weaves in and out to depict the struggle of not just Blake’s transformation but his wife and daughter’s reaction to it.

I had a hard time believing the budget for Wolf Man was $25 Million when The Invisible Man was only $7 Million. Wolf Man had some creative set designs. The moving truck sequence, which is seen in the trailer, is one of my favorites, but the rest of the production seemed sub-par, especially compared to his previous film. It bothers me a little because if you’re going to make two Universal Monster inspired films back-to-back, I’d expect for both films to be, at the very least, similar in aesthetic. If you would’ve asked me, I’d say the budgets for his last two films were switched. The design of the werewolf transformation is impressive from a practical standpoint even if the final form was a little lackluster. What I found more impressive was the use of lighting and blocking earlier in the film when obstructing the reveal of the Wolf Man. Shadows, translucent fixtures, and even clouds of breath were all creative ways that were used to build fear and intrigue in concealing the identity of the Wolf Man.

Final Thoughts

Leigh Whannell’s vision for horror is undoubtedly impressive when it comes to adding a creative twist to a tale as old as European Folklore. Wolf Man just felt a bit underwhelming with a story that required its characters to give strong performances but ultimately fell flat. I did really enjoy the decision to portray the transformation from the lead and some of the set pieces were blocked beautifully with top tier camera work. This didn’t advance the werewolf sub-genre, but it is a solid addition to a line of movies that always seem to be underlooked.

2.5/5

To check out more of our reviews, click here. If you have suggestions for movies we should check out, email [email protected]!

Marcel Urena
Marcel Urenahttps://letterboxd.com/marcelsmovies/
Ever since my mom took me to go see The Blair Witch Project in theaters when I was 7 years old I’ve been obsessed with not just movies but the horror genre. When I’m not watching movies you can find me thrifting, attending a local horror convention, or collecting physical media. I attended the University of Central Florida with a degree in Cinema Studies and use my degree to rant about movies online. MY FAVORITE MOVIES: The Cabin in the Woods, Cabaret, Seven Samurai, The Blair Witch Project, Inglourious Basterds
- Advertisement -

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

It’s safe to say that expectations for Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man are incredibly high. Audiences have seen countless iterations of werewolves on screen, whether it’s the movie or tv show for Teen Wolf, Netflix’s Hemlock Grove, or the superior An American Werewolf in London....Wolf Man (2025) Review: Leigh Whannell Delivers a Disappointing Howl in the Dark