Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Wolf Man’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

(from left) Charlotte (Julia Garner), Blake (Christopher Abbott) and Ginger (Matilda Firth) in WOLF MAN, directed by Leigh Whannell. (Photo Courtesy of Nicola Dove/Universal Pictures.) © 2024 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

We harbor some supremely outdated beliefs in the United States of America, several of which… involve family life. For so many people, hold to the notion that family is seen as sacred by everyone in America, and because of that… it is beautiful and enriching. Wherein it always harbors a mother and a father to lead a family of two, potentially two and a half children, and they are loving and kind and truly guide their children to understand their role in the world. All so they can go forth and change a planet… that never seems to change. Which relates to how incorrect those beliefs truly are in our modern world. Because families don’t look like that anymore, and… they are not always as flawless and loving as we like to think.
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For there are some people out there, who are cold toward their children, and treat them poorly and outright abuse them verbally, physically or worse. Not to mention… we are so beholden to the belief that family life takes care of itself, that we’ve created a vicious cycle. Wherein generational abuse and trauma are now the norm and that’s helping to lock us in a cycle where we don’t break free of old, outdated and gross traditions. But thankfully, there is an awareness now, that we’ve turned a blind eye to what family really means, and can accomplish in our modern world, and there are creative voices now exploring its darker corners and how it can impact us. To break free of old cycles and see what we can become with that freedom, and it just so happens that a re-imagining of a classic Universal monster explores such matters in Wolf Man.

A feat that this film accomplishes by introducing us to Blake Lovell. An everyday New Yorker that is doing his best to raise a perfect daughter and have a perfect family. But alas, he is struggling to achieve those goals. For he and his wife Charlotte seem to be drifting apart and she harbors some resentment over the fact that their daughter Ginger seems to love him, more than her, and even that relationship harbors flaws. Since Blake does have moments where he channels some real darkness and directs it toward Ginger. The kind that was imparted upon him during his childhood, thanks to his abusive father, and well… Blake has quite the idea when it comes to resolving that darkness and bringing his family together at last. For he receives news that his father has passed and that means the time has come to pack up the old house and settle affairs in the great state of Oregon, and by going together… healing can take place. But alas, their arrival at Blake’s old stomping grounds… leads to real terror. For they learn an old legend is very real and it is focused on bringing Blake into its fold.

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Which is the perfect way to explore the nature, of generational trauma. Since Blake’s troubled past, resurfacing in the present, allows for us to see how much dark words from a parent can shatter a psyche and make such actions feel normal, and part of life in a manner so powerful that we have no problem imparting it upon the next generation. But this story also makes sure to go beyond just showcasing that baseline aspect of it, for it uses the wolf transformation as an allegory to explore the power of generational trauma and the devastation it has upon an individual, and how that can, under the right circumstances, consume them and turn them into a monster of sorts. Which is a powerful way to ponder upon such matters, and what’s equally as incredible is that the film offers thoughtful ideas on how perhaps we can break the cycle, in ways that may not seem revolutionary to some, but aren’t talked about enough. Such as cutting ties and seeking help to resolve the damage.
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But of course, make no mistake about it. While this feature does harbor some thoughtful commentary on a problem in our world we are just now exploring, it is still a horror film, and it delivers on that front in an epic manner. In part by injecting a little body horror in the story. The kind that does make one nauseous and uncomfortable for certain with its visceral and direct nature. Not to mention… the scares are just plain excellent. For co-writer and director Leigh Whannell uses a bevy of simple tactics to scare the hell out of the audience. Such as our fear of the unknown, our fears of isolation. Along with concepts that explore how very afraid we are of seeing our loved ones suffer, and it doesn’t end there. Since Whannell also uses the ‘less is more’ mentality to build tension and to offer up jump scares that are impactful over lazy, and all of those elements, work to a tee, and truly put the viewer on the edge of their seat with worry.

All of which brings forth, a genuinely terrifying, and genuinely brilliant horror feature. One that does the original film proud. For the original film, The Wolf Man, was rife with commentary and tragedy and solid scares as well. But this iteration manages to up the ante with the terror and update the commentary for a new age, and truly, the commentary is the film’s highlight. Since it prompts one to question, are all of our negative behaviors in this life… a direct result of that cruelty… or learned behavior? And that also makes this an important and progressive feature, one that starts an important conversation about family life in the modern world and how it needs to be seen in a different light and given far more attention and care, so that tragedy can be avoided, and the cycle can be broken.

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