Leigh Whannell has quietly (well, not so quietly) emerged as one of the premier horror filmmakers of our time. Having helped create the Saw franchise alongside James Wan, Whannell was, for a time, tethered to that ever-expanding Wan cinematic universe. There was Saw, of course, but also Insidious and Dead Silence. In fact, it was within the further that Whannell made his directorial debut, taking over duties from Wan with Insidious: Chapter 3, which many regard as the best (other than the first, of course).
He’s continued to impress as a filmmaker since then. Upgrade, his follow-up directorial outing, is incredibly fierce filmmaking, one of the last decade’s standout horror/action thrillers. Then came The Invisible Man, widely regarded as one of the best Universal Monster movies ever. Yeah, ever. Remember that restaurant scene? Whannell is no joke.
So, everyone was waiting with bated breath to see what Whannell would do with the classic werewolf story, and now, you can see for yourself. This year’s Wolf Man is now streaming on Peacock.
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Per Peacock: Seeking a fresh start, Blake moves his wife Charlotte and daughter Ginger to his childhood home in rural Oregon. Upon arrival, they encounter a brutal animal attack, forcing the family to barricade themselves inside the house as an unseen creature prowls the perimeter. As the night wears on, Blake’s injuries worsen, and his bizarre behavior turns monstrous. To protect her daughter, Charlotte must decide whether to confront the danger outside or the growing horror within.
Wolf Man wasn’t the runaway success that The Invisible Man was. I liked it, for what it’s worth, and I sincerely appreciated Whannell’s insistence to try something new with the familiar werewolf mythos. That being said, I think it’s a good werewolf movie, but a bad The Wolf Man movie, if that makes sense. Performances were strong, the gore was, well… gory, and Christopher Abbott was truly incredible in the lead. Whannell also stages some pretty gnarly siege moments in the early half, and siege horror is among my favorite horror subgenres. I was taken with its lycanthropic impulses.
In our own review of Whannell’s Wolf Man, we wrote, “Christopher Abbott’s performance plus strategically timed moments of visceral gore and set pieces make Wolf Man a thrilling experience that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.”
Our perspective was more positive than the broad critical reception, though I think this one will age gracefully. It may not have been what people expected, no doubt ruffling feathers, though in time, I think we’ll collectively agree there was a lot to like about Whannell’s take on the classic franchise.
What do you think? Any plans to check out Wolf Man on Hulu? How does it compare to Leigh Whannell’s other films? Let me know what you think over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
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