Werewolves Within

Werewolves is not a good monster movie. It's not trying to be. It's trying to be a comedy and a twisty who done it. I think it succeeds at both it kept me guessing and kept me laughing. The two leads are both great, especially the ranger with wholesome attitude. I liked it enough to write this review.

Excited to see this one and it was pretty good. Milana is just as cute in this one as she is in the AT&T commercials. Glad to see her branching out for some major roles. Overall it a Clue-type vibe with a Horror ending. It starts a little slow but gets better if you can stick with it. I loved all the actors in this one, perfect choices!!! I had no idea this was a video game? Overall worth the watch.

Beautifully blending & balancing the elements of comedy, horror & whodunnit mystery into a howling gem, Werewolves Within is more amusing than scary yet manages to be captivating from start to finish. Packed with a colourful set of characters whose interplay injects a fresh quality to its witty & kinetic story, this indie comedy horror is one of the better delights of the year.

Directed by Josh Ruben, the picture comes sprinkled with lycanthropic flavours but it is at its most interesting when dissecting the small-town community and highlighting their prejudices & tendencies to paint a fascinating milieu of our own society, all without sacrificing the genre thrills, fun vibe or entertainment value. And by not acquainting us too well with its characters, Ruben keeps everyone under suspicion.

The tone is lighthearted but there is a lot brewing under the surface. However, since the story never sidelines its comedic touches, the suspenseful moments don't pack the same punch as the funny ones and it is almost devoid of tension & terror. Performances are excellent from all. Sam Richardson leads from the front & is a likeable protagonist. Milana Vayntrub also stands out with her affable input. And the rest play their roles responsibly.

Overall, Werewolves Within makes for a delicious cinematic offering of its video game source and is a confidently crafted & intelligently narrated effort. The comedy comes from the script while remote setting, wintry surroundings & polished camerawork function in tandem to bring the horror aspects into play. Sharp in humour, scathing in commentary & snappy in execution, Josh Ruben's sophomore feature is a much welcome surprise that's worth your time & money.

The film effectively promotes itself as a lighthearted werewolf flick, but doesn't fully convey the "And Then There Were None" style murder mystery at it's core. The three styles do work well together, though they all come across slightly diluted. The comedy is dry but likeable, coming more from quirky character traits than slapstick punchlines. The horror is very minimal, nearly all coming from off screen implication. The whodunit is the central focus really, and for the most part effective, though some details and backstory border on tedious. If you can accept the three styles without asking too much of one, it's all the kind of light fun you can expect from a movie with "werewolf" in the title.

It felt at times i was about to see something amazing happen but never happens. I was left disappointed with wanting more. The movie is well done and the cast is solid but it's just ok funny, never really crosses over the line to being really funny. It's worth a watch but not going to be a movie you watch again.