Werewolves (2024) Review: A Gory Creature Feature

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Werewolves (2024) is one of those movies that knows exactly what it is: a wild, gory, late-night creature feature with a dash of humor. Directed by Steven C. Miller (best known for Escape Plan 2, Silent Night, The Aggression Scale), this one doesn’t try to reinvent the werewolf genre but instead leans into its chaotic, bloody fun.

The film stars Frank Grillo (who’s become the go-to guy for these kinds of gritty, action-packed roles) as grizzled, no-nonsense Dr. Wesley Marshall. He works for the CDC and lives in a small, isolated town that’s suddenly ground zero for a werewolf outbreak. As you can imagine, things go south pretty fast when half the town gets turned into snarling, moonlit beasts.

Grillo, as always, is solid, bringing that perfect blend of tough-guy charm and dry wit. He’s definitely the highlight of the film, delivering one-liners (kept to a minimum, of course) and putting up a fight against werewolves with as much swagger as you’d expect from a guy who’s been through the ringer. His character might feel like a bit of a trope but Grillo sells it with just enough heart to make you care.

The rest of the cast doesn’t get much in the way of development, but they’re game for the carnage. You’ve got a few familiar faces (including some horror genre vets), but no one really stands out outside of the werewolf chaos and Grillo’s gruff leader. That’s fine, though — this movie’s not about deep characters. It’s about blood, fur, and a whole lot of action.

As for the werewolves themselves, they’re definitely the main event here. The practical effects, a dying art in modern horror, are impressive — these wolves aren’t CGI fluff. They’re massive, menacing, and real enough to make you cringe when they go on the attack. Werewolves doesn’t shy away from violence, either, delivering plenty of gore to satisfy anyone in the mood for some good, old-fashioned horror carnage.

It’s not a perfect film — the pacing is a little off at times, especially in the middle when things slow down a bit. Some of the dialogue gets a bit cheesy, but honestly, it feels like part of the charm. The film doesn’t take itself too seriously, and neither should you.

Werewolves might not break any new ground in the werewolf genre, but it delivers exactly what fans of creature features crave: blood, chaos, and a fun ride. The practical effects are solid, the action is relentless, and Frank Grillo’s performance is a standout, keeping the whole thing grounded. If you’re in the mood for some old-school monster mayhem with a healthy dose of gore and humor, this one’s definitely worth checking out.

Werewolves was released in theaters December 6, 2024 (USA)

• Rating Certificate: R (for violence, some gore, and language.)
• Studios & Distributors: Burke Management | Monty the Dog Productions | Solution Entertainment Group | Briarcliff Entertainment
• Director: Steven C. Miller
• Written By: Matthew Kennedy
• Country: USA
• Language: English
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Run Time: 93 Mins.
• Release Date: 6 December 2024