Wolf Garden

I had not heard about the 2023 horror movie "Wolf Garden" prior to sitting down and watching it. But it being a horror movie that I hadn't already seen was sufficient for me to opt to watch it. And with it apparently being a werewolf movie of sorts, of course that just sweetened the deal.

And I have just suffered through 89 minutes of what has to be the worst horror movie of 2023 so far. Writer and director Wayne David delivered 89 minutes of nothing. Yeah, I kid you not. The storyline in "Wolf Garden" was just utter rubbish, as it was bland, boring, monotonous and had nothing interesting to offer. Yet, I endured the 89 minutes, hoping to get to see some werewolf carnage or something. But no, absolutely nothing of that either.

Well, when a movie is written, directed and starred by the one and same person, then you really should stop and listen to the voice nagging at the back of your head, telling you to not venture down that path. And I wish I would have done that with "Wolf Garden", because it was seriously a waste of 89 minutes.

This was essentially just a movie about a man sitting in a remote cottage and having random dream flashes of a woman. Yup, that was the contents of what writer and director Wayne David managed to conjure up here. Not exactly a good recipe for proper entertainment.

The acting performances in the movie were fair enough, taking into consideration that the small cast ensemble virtually had nothing to work with.

Visually then "Wolf Garden" failed to deliver. Proper visuals and some gore and mayhem would have much neededly spruced up the narrative that was lacking in every department. But that was not the case either.

My rating of "Wolf Garden" lands on a one out of ten stars. This was without a doubt the worst movie I have suffered through in 2023 so far. Don't waste your time, money or effort on "Wolf Garden", some of us did so you don't have to.

Living on a remote British farm, a man and his wife try to make their idyllic life worthwhile as he harbors a monstrous secret living in a secret shed on his property, but as he continues to come to terms with the ramifications of his secret the truth could have more bearing than he imagined.

Overall, this was a watchable if somewhat problematic genre effort. Among the better elements here is the slow-burn approach that takes more of a mystery angle to everything despite being way too easy to guess. The first half here is littered with clues about this strange circumstance as dreams, hallucinatory visions and interactions with others paint a picture of something happening that is gradually set up for the later parts of the film. Handled with enough unnerving tension as to what's going on and the potential for a grisly resolution based on the bloody bodies he keeps witnessing, it all sets the stage for a genuinely enjoyable confrontation at the finale where a nice reveal brings the monstrous outcome to light with several thrilling encounters in the woods and surrounding farmhouse. These are enough to make for a lot to like even though there are still plenty of issues within this one that hold it down. Most of those come from the films' incredibly sluggish and unlikable pacing that will put the most venturesome of viewers to sleep long before any of those positives emerge. A lyrical structure that never makes it clear what's going on is a flashback, a dream, the present day, or some dark form of wishful thinking, the whole idea of what's going on is so haphazardly handled and makes no sense that it becomes nearly impossible to follow along even before anything happens. Starting with the idea of a dark secret and then forcing this type of structure upon us while in the process of explaining what it is doesn't make for a very immersive time as far too much of this is designed to make a reveal happen at the latest possible opportunity through this which gives the film a rather troubling feature. That's not helped at all by the inherent inability to really deliver on the creature feature action so wanted and desired by fans of the genre. Relying on incredibly brief snippets that are frustratingly unclear on anything and on the series of timeline jumps that leave so much of what's going on ambiguous due to the various unexplained scenarios, the end result is that the aforementioned creature attacks are so late in the running time that we're not that invested in anything. When it does decide to get to the creature action as well, this is all so predictable and already sussed out that there's no surprise from anything despite being treated as a grand surprise despite being incredibly obvious. Overall, these factors are what end up bringing this one down the most.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Graphic Violence.

If the story here was meant to be a mystery.

It's not a very well constructed one.

Because the answer is pretty obvious, from, more or less, the get go.

The majority of the plot is laid out with a series of flashbacks.

Intercut with moments from the present, where we watch the main character, William (played by writer/director Wayne David), feed something he keeps locked away in the shed on his property.

While suffering from a series of hallucinations that blur the line between what is real and what is psychological.

To add to the confusion, he refers to "that thing in the woods" as something different than what he is keeping in the shed.

Either way, it's supposed to be, partly a werewolf film, and partly an isolation induced psychological horror.

Though, not a whole lot goes on in the first two thirds of the film.

When the action does, eventually, kick off.

It's very underwhelming.

Merely being a bunch of growls in combination with some perspective shots.

So, short of actually seeing the creature...you are left to wonder if there are even any wolves at all.

Or if it is he, who is the only monster in the film.

For being, what is effectively, a one man show...with Wayne David having written, directed, and starring in the film...it's somewhat laudable.

Not being without it's merits.

Though, suffering from slow pacing, and lacking any real payoff, in the end.

Which, when combined with the sub par acting effort put forward...leaves you wondering why you invested the time to sit through it.

To his credit...he does throw a twist in, but it doesn't come to the very end of the film.

So, while it does tie up the loose ends, it seems little compensation for enduring through the rest of the film.

It's not too bad though.

And David certainly shows promise as a filmmaker.

I would like to see what he can do with a bit of a bigger budget.

Which would allow him to incorporate more special effects, and make the story a bit more exciting.

Because it kind of felt like a chore to sit through.

4.5 out of 10.

This werewolf movie really embraces the slow-burn approach, and while it may test your patience at times, it pays off in the end. The deliberate pace builds tension steadily, allowing for a deeper exploration of the characters' fears and desires. When the transformation finally happens, it's a cathartic release that's both thrilling and chilling. Unlike your typical jump-scare fest, this film opts for a more psychological approach, delving into the complexities of human nature and the primal instincts that lurk within us all. It's a thought-provoking journey into the wild side of the human psyche, and definitely worth a watch for fans of slow-burn horror.

This movie was a great watch. Full of suspense, great visual and sound effects

It teases you just enough to think you know what's happening, but cleverly leads you up to that final big reveal. A slow burn, but intriguing and captivating at every moment and will make you jump a few times.

Intertwined in the Werewolf theme is a love story full of inner turmoil and mystery.

Performances from all the cast were spot on. I particularly enjoyed the Character development of William, which sees him holding onto the past, whilst struggling with his internal conflict around the present.

I would absolutely recommend this movie and hope to see more from Writer, Directer and Actor, Wayne David.