“Werewolves”: A Lean, Mean Dystopian Thriller
“Werewolves” delivers exactly what you’d expect from a streamlined, fast paced dystopian action thriller that feels like a blend of pandemic-era paranoia and The Purge series’ chaotic violence. It doesn’t claim to be groundbreaking cinema, nor does it try to impress with sophistication or depth, but it manages to hold its own as a simple, no-frills time passer. Frank Grillo, the undeniable anchor of the film, brings a rugged charm to the story, elevating its otherwise modest premise. Playing a molecular biologist with a bruiser’s physique, Grillo channels an energy reminiscent of Charles Bronson—gritty, composed, and oddly cerebral—all at once.
The film’s plot doesn’t waste any time or energy on unnecessary frills. It’s built on a straightforward, efficient concept: on the night of a supermoon, when the full moon orbits is closest to Earth, people worldwide are transformed into monstrous werewolves after so much as a brief glance at the moon. It’s the perfect setup for chaos—look up for one second, and you’re done for. The simplicity of the premise lends itself well to the action-packed, do-or-die atmosphere, and it gives the film a clear driving force. It’s not hard to imagine viewers embracing this apocalyptic setting with a mixture of suspense and dark amusement.
Frank Grillo: The Saving Grace
One of the movie’s strongest points is its lead, Frank Grillo. Grillo is one of those actors who thrives in gritty, pulpy films, and Werewolves is no exception. His screen presence brings an unmistakable edge to the character he portrays—a muscular molecular biologist with enough street smarts to hold his own in a dystopian wasteland. Grillo’s performance bridges the gap between intellect and brawn, making the character far more compelling than the material might otherwise allow. His role keeps the film engaging, adding a brainy gravitas that feels both ironic and oddly fitting in a movie about werewolves wreaking havoc.
What makes Grillo stand out in these types of movies is that he knows how to pull off an amazing plot while remaining true to his character. He never seems to care that he’s in the middle of absolute pandemonium nor does he overact the role: he seems to find the right balance. Importantly, he does not sound in the least self-abased as he acts his butt off making unbelievable sequences tolerable and enjoyable. This explains why Grillo has been typecast to play roles in some of the worst films such as B grade action.
Needless to say, a film such as Werewolves depends greatly on the performers who take on the role of these protagonists. What’s the deal with the werewolves? For the most part, it’s quite the opposite of terrifying or intimidating. The werewolves are radically different from the CGI monsters we see in modern movies, which in this case enhances their appeal. Perhaps the filmmakers were fortunate enough to be able to utilize pre-CGI werewolf costumes which, while not perfect, are fun to look at. It seems that the filmmakers were determined to create old-school creatures that were enjoyable to watch despite being extravagantly poorly designed.
A Setting Made for Madness
The concept of the film, however straightforward, serves as a useful anchor for the audience. The fact that even a glance at the supermoon turns one into a beast, lends an element of thrill. This sort of premise screams to be pitched in a fast paced horror thriller where the goal is to not gaze upon anything because it would be the final option one has. The premise is smart: the most basic and instinctive action of looking up, when the supermoon is in the sky, is dangerous in itself.
This premise also has a distinct resemblance to thrillers during the pandemic, where things go haywire after just one slip up. The creativity and the extreme violence in ‘The purge’ are complimented together in Werewolves Cult which draws to our attention the primal fear of an epidemic and transformation. It sure is a stripped narrative element with respect in the history of events, which transcends the history without needing detailed clarifications or exhaustive explanations. The outline is broad with a desperate goal and everything happens at a rapid speed with the details.
Werewolves is a questionable entertainment and a low-budget action film. Not in a form of a renaissance work or a brilliant piece of horror, instead, it is what it is: an average simple, fun movie. It is self-aware of its B-movie status and so joyfully leans into the ridiculousness of the premise and provides enough stimulation to retain people’s interest. The edit is fast-paced, action is nonstop, and the werewolves costumes are just corny enough to keep people amused.
A Legacy of Transformation
No other genre highlights the evolution of visual effects quite like the werewolf film. From its earliest days, the werewolf genre has placed heavy emphasis on transformation scenes, treating them as centerpieces of the story—moments that make everything else fade into the background. This unique aspect has allowed these films to stand as milestones in the history of movie magic, marking key turning points for practical effects, and later, digital innovations.
One of the genre’s most iconic entries, The Wolfman (1941), set the stage for transformation scenes as cinematic showstoppers. The film practically came to a halt every time Lon Chaney Jr.’s character began his metamorphosis. It was as if the story itself paused to let the audience marvel at the spectacle. The transformation sequences were painstakingly crafted using the magic of dissolves—a process where one layer of the actor’s face, adorned with makeup and increasingly thick fur, slowly replaced the last. Chaney’s agonized expressions and the careful buildup of his hairy visage became unforgettable symbols of monster cinema.
This moment in The Wolfman wasn’t about advancing the plot or exploring deeper themes. It was a celebration of cinema’s ability to astonish. The filmmakers essentially declared, “Forget the story for now! Just look at this incredible effect!” And audiences at the time couldn’t look away. Though simple by today’s standards, those iconic visuals captured a sense of awe and wonder that paved the way for future werewolf films to prioritize spectacle in their storytelling.
“The Howling”: Pushing Practical Effects into a New Age
Fast forward to 1981, and The Howling emerged as a game-changer in the genre. It marked the dawn of a new era for practical effects. The werewolf transformations in this film were no longer about slow dissolves or static scenes—they were visceral, dynamic, and unlike anything moviegoers had seen before. The credit for this leap forward belongs to Rob Bottin, a groundbreaking special effects artist who made his debut splash with The Howling.
Bottin introduced techniques that brought werewolf transformations to life in a far more believable and grotesque manner. Stretching jaws, elongating limbs, and pulsating skin made viewers feel like they were watching flesh and bone literally rearranging itself on screen. It wasn’t just about seeing hair grow; it was about feeling the agony and horror of the transformation process. This approach elevated the werewolf genre to a new level, setting a precedent for creature effects in horror movies.
Bottin’s work in The Howling also launched him into stardom as a special effects visionary. Following this success, he would go on to design the iconic, grotesque creatures in John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), which is widely regarded as a masterclass in practical effects. The Howling proved that werewolf films could embrace the grotesque beauty of body horror, turning transformations into both art and terror.
“An American Werewolf in London”: The Birth of the Digital Dream
In the same year, another werewolf film made its mark with its transformative sequences—An American Werewolf in London. While The Howling pushed the envelope for practical effects, this film elevated the emotional and visual impact of transformations even further. One of the most memorable moments occurs when David Naughton’s character stares in horror at his own mutating hand. In that scene, the audience witnesses the pain of his transformation in intimate detail, as his body twists and shifts in unnatural ways.
What made American Werewolf in London particularly remarkable was how it showcased practical effects as the pinnacle of visual creativity. However, there was an underlying sense that practical effects were straining against their limitations. The intricate puppetry, prosthetics, and animatronics used in this scene created astonishing visuals, but they required tremendous effort and time. Watching Naughton’s transformation felt groundbreaking, yet it also hinted at something filmmakers were beginning to dream of: the freedom and precision that digital effects might one day provide.
In that moment, when David stared at his contorting hand, practical effects seemed to foreshadow their own evolution. It was as if they were looking forward to a time when digital technology could achieve even more seamless transformations. Practical effects, while groundbreaking, were becoming a bridge to the future—a stepping stone toward a new way of achieving cinematic magic.
The Werewolf Transformation as a Cinematic Benchmark
The prowess of werewolf characters’ evolution is what makes the genre of werewolves so captivating. On the contrary to other horror tropes, may suggest or be subtle, werewolf movies always featured the on-your-face transformation of their creatures which was physical and dramatic. The transformation is not a quiet or shadowy occurrence, it is loud, grotesque, and visceral. In each era, werewolf transformations have marked a shift in how films approach visual effects. The Wolfman used dissolves to showcase its monster; The Howling revolutionized practical effects with its imaginative use of prosthetics and animatronics; and An American Werewolf in London took practical effects to their artistic peak while hinting at the possibilities of digital effects.
This constant evolution within the genre has turned werewolf films into a benchmark for visual innovation. Each major milestone reflects a broader change in filmmaking technology, making the werewolf genre a visual time capsule of cinema’s growth over the decades.
At its core, werewolf transformation is, of course, a technical achievement but beyond that it also presents the duality of horror and fascination, both of which are typical of the monster movie genre. Seeing a man become a beast is the embodiment of the raw, macabre feeling one gets, but there is the innate desire to explore the hidden layers of human nature too. The art of transformation is a narrative technique filmmakers have known since time immemorial, which allows them to combine shock and spectacle. By means of dissolves, stretching limbs, or contorting faces, the transformation scenes are made to stay with the viewers much longer even when the movie ends. The transformation is not just a moment in the story; it is the story itself.
A Genre That Continues to Transform
The werewolf genre remains a proof to cinema’s ongoing pursuit of visual storytelling. It has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, from the early days of dissolves to the golden age of practical effects and beyond. While modern werewolf films now blend practical techniques with digital wizardry, they owe much of their legacy to the groundbreaking work of filmmakers who dared to make transformations a spectacle. Each transformation scene tells its own story—not just of the character, but of the medium itself. The werewolf genre stands as a unique intersection of artistry, technology, and horror, and its evolution reflects the growth of cinema as a whole. With every jaw that stretches, every hand that mutates, and every face that contorts, the genre reminds us why we continue to look on in awe, even as we shudder in fear.
Watching Werewolves, it’s impossible not to question the state of visual effects today. The title creatures are impressive in stature and physicality—towering, athletic beasts with devilish ears and animatronic snouts that snap viciously, almost like miniature crocodile jaws. They move with alarming speed, shredding their victims with severe efficiency. On paper, this sounds like the ideal setup for terrifying, realistic monsters. However, the reality is far less convincing. As designed by Alex Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., the werewolves look more like papier-mâché creations with tufts of artificial hair glued to their frames.
Introducing the Scientific Panic
While the physical movements of the werewolves are agile and ferocious, their overall design feels strangely dated. The beasts leap, snarl, and attack with terrifying speed, embodying the chaotic violence that werewolf lore demands. Yet their aesthetic makes it hard to take them seriously. The blend of practical and animatronic effects, though ambitious, fails to deliver the seamless realism audiences expect in modern horror films. Instead of being awed or frightened, you find yourself distracted by the obvious limitations of the effects.
The juxtaposition of impressive movement and lackluster design creates an unsettling contrast. From the shoulders up, the werewolves have a hand-crafted, costume-party vibe that is impossible to ignore. Their snarling, snapping jaws attempt to evoke danger, but the pasted-on fur and rigid facial features undermine any chance of achieving genuine terror. It’s as if the filmmakers were caught between embracing old-school practical effects and reaching for a polished, modern aesthetic—and ended up achieving neither.
At the center of Werewolves is Dr. Wesley Marshall, played by Frank Grillo. Grillo’s character is a CDC scientist who is tasked with studying the werewolf outbreak and developing a solution to combat it. His scientific expertise adds a layer of credibility to the otherwise chaotic premise, though it doesn’t take long for the story to veer off course.
The CDC’s solution to the werewolf problem is a substance called “moonscreen.” True to its name, this antidote is designed to prevent humans from transforming when exposed to moonlight. The method of application? A spray can. Yes, moonscreen is applied by simply spraying it onto your skin, like sunblock for werewolves. This detail, while creative, edges dangerously close to parody, particularly when paired with the film’s otherwise serious tone.
When Experiments Go Wrong
This is expected in the horror genre, it never happens that something as simple as a scientific experiment goes well, and Werewolves is not an exception. The CDC’s laboratory quickly spins out of control with people – deemed human guinea pigs- being experimented by exposing them to the moon, the master test subject. It is a scene that is full of mouth opening, limbs moving and whole body shaking with the sounds of skin shredding mixed in. For a flash of a moment, it was chaos in the film showing how a scientific trial looks like when it goes wrong.
Still, the tension dissipates as rapidly as it escalates. The movie’s scientific premise appears rather shallow and just serves as a backdrop to all the racing events that follow. What started off promisingly as a contest between science and nature is just cast aside to let Grillo’s Dr. Marshall to take charge of the pandemonium. It’s as if the filmmakers had no real regard for the science of it, treating it as a mere means to propel the action-filled story forward.
Werewolves For Grillo is One element that nearly salvages the material. Grillo, who is good at making pulp films more interesting, plays Dr. Wesley Marshall with just the right amount of intensity and humor. He’s a big reckless slug but a molecular biologist at the same time. Yes, only Grillo can pull off such a gimmicky character together. Grillo helps coax a variety of factors into the plot that makes it slightly believable and at the same time endearing, and even when the narrative fails to fully uncover its spine, Grillo’s auspicious screen presence backs the storyline up seamlessly.
An Identity Crisis
The film Werewolves is plagued from the very beginning by not being able to figure out how they would like their film to be, and probably that is the major reason for its failure. It markets itself as a classical action-thriller revolved around action with scenes that include fast-paced chases, bloodthirsty transformations, and action scenes in the laboratory, however, it also becomes extremely cheesy with the design of its creatures steering the film in the wrong direction and the ridiculous scientific basis. The result is a blend between horror with moments of action and some downright funny moments that were not meant to be funny.
Speaking of struggles with identity paragraphs, this problem persists with the werewolves too. They are portrayed as violent and menacing, however, their closely knitted artificial fur and poorly made costumes depict them as a total failure in the design room. Moreover, whenever there is a tense action sequence, at the very peak of the situation, the movie decides to add in some comedy to the mix, making it impossible to get immersed in the story at hand. It appears as if the filmmakers wanted to go for a more serious feel similar to that of The Purge series but could not with the rolling excessive amount of cheesy tropes.
The main idea of Werewolves—an idea which I heard several authors mention that appealed to them the most—mass transformation triggered by a supermoon – is captivating. The concept of a cross continental werewolf pandemic bears untold thrills, potential for massive worldbuilding, and the depth of character-based storytelling. Regrettably, the filmmakers waste this chance because disturbingly they lay even more emphasis on mass destructive acts and shock value than on the main storyline.
A Family in Peril
At the center of Werewolves is Wesley, a man juggling immense responsibility as the caretaker of his late brother’s wife, played by Ilfenesh Hadera, and his young daughter, Kamdyn Gary. Wesley finds himself pulled into a relentless fight for survival as the world collapses under the bizarre werewolf outbreak. When chaos erupts, he ends up on the run alongside his steadfast colleague, played by Katrina Law, whose loyalty and grit make her a critical part of the escape.
From that point forward, Werewolves fully embraces its identity as a zombie movie—only this time, the zombies are towering werewolves. The story unfolds with all the classic tropes: characters nervously watching over their shoulders, wondering who among them will be the next to transform, windows hastily boarded up with slats of wood to keep the monstrous creatures out, and desperate plans to survive another night. It’s a well-worn formula, but the film leans into it unapologetically, presenting a world that feels simultaneously familiar and chaotic.
One of the standout characters in Werewolves is Wesley’s neighbor, a self-proclaimed survivalist who personifies bluster and paranoia. This blowhard of a neighbor, fully prepared for the supernatural dangers of supermoon night, puts on quite the spectacle as he gears up for the inevitable. He slathers his face in red, white, and blue warpaint, making himself look like he’s auditioning for the world’s most patriotic disaster movie.
The humor, however, turns dark as he becomes one of the unfortunate souls to transform. His shift into a werewolf has an odd, unsettling resonance, earning him the nickname “the Jan. 6 werewolf.” It’s impossible not to make the connection to the QAnon Shaman and other infamous figures from that chaotic day.
Steven C. Miller’s Vision
Director Steven C. Miller helms Werewolves with a signature style that has earned him a cult following among fans of B-movie action and horror. Miller’s devotees appreciate his ability to blend moments of impressive action with an unpretentious, raw energy that keeps his films moving at a breakneck pace. There’s no room for subtlety or slow-burn storytelling here—Miller prioritizes spectacle and relentless tension, ensuring there’s never a dull moment.
However, Miller’s approach isn’t big on subtext. He isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel or bury deeper meanings beneath the surface. Werewolves is a straightforward action thriller with a supernatural twist, and Miller executes it with his usual flair for bombast. For fans who appreciate a movie that prioritizes momentum and chaos over introspection, Miller delivers exactly what they came for.
One of the most distinct aspects of Werewolves is its ever-looming musical atmosphere fully manifested in the strict barrage of dystopian synth chords that seem to always be present within each individual scene. This musical setting, even somewhat overbearing and dramatical in its depth, adds an almost singular form of tension that persists throughout the entire film. One could picture a composer grabbing an archaic synthesizer fully prepared to wring the music dry of every ounce of foreboding ambience available to man.
Although some individuals may claim that extra sound effects are unnecessary, there is no disputing that they do tend to increase the film’s suspense. Any critical scene is merely accompanied by intense sound that is on cutting edge making it almost comical in some situations.
A Hero’s War
Wesley is a brutal hero, and nowhere is this more apparent than at the climax of the movie, where in a scene that has as much drama as the rest of the film, he kills himself to save his family. The heart-wrenching moment Wesley looks directly at the supermoon knowing it will turn him into a man wolf comes at an exciting time with such a title and can create tension. So much tension is created in this moment as Wesley’s face shows signs of pain and determination.
In this scene, Grillo is a show-stealer, and not a single person seems unamused at very ridiculous as well as the offensive portrayal of the character done by Grillo with so much excellence. The movie suffers because the character of Wesley, a rugged self-sacrificing hero, is reduced to just being a prop. It is a south-paw moment composed with aggressiveness that pays respect to the legacy of werewolf cinema. Without a doubt, he would have given a nod instead of a howl for this scene if Chaney Jr were alive.
A wild ride of carnages at the cinemas, Werewolves tells a chilling tale of transformation and creation. Content with being brainless and an absolute gory bloodbath, it pays homage to classic zombie nostalgia and plays into tropes of galactic heroes.
The sheer novelty of it overshadowed the lack of depth or originality this film possessed, it made up for it with a fast pace and complete terror and chaos. Everything about Werewolves screams of the sheer nonsense, be it the dull imagery of screen werewolves, the even bigger dullness around neighbors’ werewolf transformations or the climax involving Grillo making the last stand – the movie does not shy away from its loony, caricature-like nature.
Frank Grillo’s Character is M.V.P.
As expected, Frank Grillo keeps on assembling all his projects together in a fitting fashion along with his role in Werewolves. His acting present throughout the movie, especially emphasizing his mannerism when playing werewolves in the final scenes of the motion picture were all jaw-dropping and entertaining to say the least. Grillo stabilizes the narrative as he is domineering when barking orders in a lab or protecting his family along with the new upcoming…. Werewolves.
Grillo’s performance highlights the actors’ ability to ground his material, no matter how absurd it is. Let us put in the words of Grillo., “I take my husband’s love from him.” That juxtaposition in what might be termed as disjointedness from the hubbub of science to comic book movies surprisingly does not feel as forced, thanks to Grillo’s pitch perfect delivery. Without him, Werewolves would’ve been booted off as another horror comedy.
A compelling battle with its survival tropes and its circularity together with Grillo’s straightforward acting resoundingly symbolizes one of the indescribable spectacles. While the odds aren’t in its favor for stiffs to be looking for more meaning and substance, it is the kind of movie that you will throw on just for some mindless but highly entertaining action.
The challenged social and political landscape depicted on screen has not rendered the viewing experience of ‘Werewolves’ entirely dry. For those willing to chew through boring violence and self-aware humor, the movie earns its place. That said, the werewolves attacks, despite several being poorly executed at least provide some degree of enjoyable gore. And exactly for such situations a wonderful Grillo is present as it seems he knows how to entertain an audience when the plebiscite starts to drop.
Final Conclusions
Overall, Werewolves is a film that rather thinks and perceives itself as a perfect combination of two. With the expectations of a generic dystopian hit, its resourced felt more of a film focused on odd-monster out casts. At times the effects of the film were okay but they at most times highlighted the critical issues around modern cinematography ethos.
A lot less complicated and straight forward than the previous movies, Wolves is simply a fast paced action film packed with memorable scenes if not more. Yes, the effects look dated, the tone fluctuates throughout the runtime but the film’s pacing and Frank Grillo’s over the top portrayal of a barbaric mass murderer consists an interesting aspect and are bound to grab some attention. In the end Steven C. Miller has one goal and one goal only, to make a wild nonsensical film and indeed he’s able to accomplish it.
In a world filled with major blockbusters, sometimes a campy, flashy Werewolves movie is exactly what you need. So rest assured because Werewolves is worth a watch because it doesn’t try too hard to be taken seriously, but still manages to deliver a good amount of entertainment. However, there is a blend of creature effects, Grillo acting as the rugged hero, and music orchestrated by a rather over the top, dramatist composition.
