Why ‘Wolf Man’ Deserves a Second Look

Leigh Whannell’s “Wolf Man” is one of those 2025 releases that was dismissed by most, though a few embraced it for the very reason it divides genre fans: it is a different kind of animal.

A fantastic prologue introduces us to Blake (Zac Chandler), a young boy living in Oregon with his no-nonsense father (Sam Jaeger) as the two leave their home in the woods for a morning of hunting. Both of them immediately sense that there’s something wrong in the woods.

A title card helpfully informs us of a belief of wolf-like behavior stemming from an outbreak of a fever spreading in the woods. The two take shelter in a hunting blind while…something climbs the ladder and slowly inches closer to them.

There is an elegance and precision to how good this sequence is.

The story jumps to 30 years later, where Blake is now played by Christopher Abbott, a loving father, a writer “in between jobs” and husband to a journalist named Charlotte (Julia Garner). Blake clearly adores his daughter, Ginger (Matilda Firth), though he sometimes catches himself in moments where he can be as harsh and overwhelming in the way his father once was to him.

When Blake discovers that his father has passed away, he takes a trip back to his childhood home in Oregon, to grow closer with his wife and get everyone out of their comfort zone.

Things immediately go bad, as a car accident, an attack by an unseen animal and a metamorphosis start taking place in Blake, occurring over the course of an evening (the entire second and third act is set in a single night).

I caught “Wolf Man” in early January, a famous “dumping ground” for movies that studios have little faith in, where they typically die while playing opposite holiday hits and Oscar darlings. The word of mouth on “Wolf Man” wasn’t good, as it was reportedly delayed and something of a “troubled” project.

More specifically, it was supposed to be a part of Universal’s “Dark Universe,” their attempt at a horror-themed take on the MCU, starting with the Tom Cruise led “The Mummy” (2017) and eventually leading to Johnny Depp as The Invisible Man, Javier Bardem as Frankenstein, Dwayne Johnson as The Wolf Man and on and on.

When “The Mummy” deservedly died a quick death, further plans for Dark Universe shut down, but not before Whannell retooled The Wolf Man into a lower-budget, intimate take of “Wolf Man.”

Whannell’s “The Invisible Man” was one of the best films of 2020 and demonstrated how you can take a dusty horror concept and alter it into something personal and different but still potent. That mirrors what David Cronenberg did with “The Fly” in 1986.

Whannell’s willingness to make the furry beast relevant in post-pandemic America seemed like a promising idea. The end result lives up to that promise, though the film is still a hard sell for anyone seeking easy popcorn entertainment.

The early scenes are essential, as Blake is constantly reminding his daughter how much he loves her, and how fragile life is. The gentle existentialism of “Wolf Man,” especially in the establishing scenes, are crucial to absorb, as we’re off and running once the setting changes back to Oregon.

There seems to be an unspoken but undeniable commentary on how our main characters can flourish in a city full of people but struggle once they’re alone in the woods. While Blake and Charlotte adjust to the demands of being out in the wild, the isolation feels like a trap, even as they’re in the midst of majestic vistas (which, of course, are just shadows at night).

It’s not hard to guess what the big twist is, regarding the presence in the forest that threatens the protagonists, though the reveal is still impactful. Likely the biggest complaint anyone can have about Whannell’s film is how the eventful finale isn’t thrilling but punishing.

Blake’s transformation has a single playful moment (a fun bit with a spider), but his inability to communicate with his wife and daughter is devastating and inventively depicted.

The story overall is tragic, even as it serves as a reminder to cherish every breath (inhale…exhale), every heartbeat, every moment we get to gaze at our loved ones, every joyful and stolen moment we don’t feel like we deserve. The final scenes are full circle for Blake and us, as we see how his life was, in a way, about the journey from boyhood to adulthood, but also about getting back to that one literal spot where everything was wonderful.

Movies like “Wolf Man” will hit hard for anyone who has struggled with their relationship with their father. Look, I know a lot of people who, without hesitation, call their father their “hero” and speak to what a perfect stand-up guy he is. That’s great, but for everyone else, whose relationship with their father is, to put it mildly, complex, this kind of parable will resonate.

Whannell’s “The Invisible Man” showcased a never-better performance from Elisabeth Moss in the lead and had a twisted crowd-pleaser of a finish. Here, the story gets increasingly more horrifying (the physical effects are as grueling as they are impressive) and leads to a finish that, while stunning, won’t leave anyone with a smile on their face.

No wonder this movie barely lasted a month in theaters.

Looking at it now, there are still a few problems (Garner is great in this, but she mostly gives Abbott the same look of disapproval for most of the running time. Having all of the events take place in one night, an admittedly ambitious concept, is a bit of a stretch.

However, seeing it removed from its dead man walking release date, it’s easy to see how this will most likely become a cult film. “Wolf Man” is not Lon Chaney or the American Werewolf you know, but it’s still powerful and worthy of rediscovery.

There comes a point where sons consider how much like their father they want to become and, whether they like it or not, how much like their dad they already are without trying. Here’s a film unafraid of exploring this tricky realization.

Yes, “Wolf Man” is about a guy who gets bitten by a monster and changes into a snarling beast, but it’s also about facing what you’re afraid of, and some of us are afraid of becoming our fathers.