Susan Granger’s review of “Wolves” (Ketchup Entertainment)
Are you ready for a new werewolf film? They’ve been a horror cinema staple since Lon Chaney Jr.’s “The Wolf Man” (1941) and its four sequels. The concept was even turned into a popular comedy “An American Werewolf in London” (1981).
In this particular creature-feature, teenage Cayden Richards (Lucas Till) awakens from a nightmare, only to realize that the sex, rage and violence of his ferocious fantasy has become reality. Panicked, he goes on the run, desperate to learn more about his lycanthropic affliction, particularly when he discovers that he was adopted.
After a chance meeting with a fellow werewolf named Wild Joe (John Pyper-Ferguson) at roadside biker’s bar, Cayden winds up in Lupine Ridge, a strange, isolated community that is populated by two clans of shape-shifting werewolves. Some are law-abiding citizens, while others live anarchically in the hills. Led by powerful, purebood Connor Slaughter (Jason Momoa), they’re ruthless killers. Peace-loving John Tollerman (Stephen McHattie) takes Cayden in, giving him work on the family farm, but bartender Angelina (Merritt Patterson) – the pureblood female whom Connor has chosen to bear his child – warns Cayden, “You’re too good to stay here.”
Then, under a full moon on Halloween, Connor goes crazy. “Stay in your homes tonight – and lock your doors,” Cayden warns the townfolk.
While David Hayter is recognizable as the iconic voice of Solid Snake in the “Metal Gear” video game series, he’s also credited as co-screenwriter of “X-Men,” “X2: Men United,” “The Scorpion King,” and “Watchmen.” This is his directorial debut – and his helming inexperience is, unfortunately, evident. Perhaps his first mistake was casting Lucas Till, who previously played Havok in the “X-Men” franchise; as an actor, he is utterly lacking in charisma, delivering a performance that best described as ‘confused.’ That makes alpha-villain Jason Momoa (TV’s “Game of Thrones”) the far more compelling character. Then there’s the problem of the cascade of furry clichés that clutter the utterly predictable plot.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Wolves” is a turgid 3 – a bloody, brutal bore.
