Teddy

In rural southern France a high school drop-out is shunned by the other boys in his town, he doesn't care cause he has a girlfriend. They have a ball until he gets bitten. When he does he loses time. His uncle can tell something is up just by the smell. We go through the usual gross-out-instead-of-suspense while he watches himself change, over time instead of during the full moon only. This movie is just ok with a good ending. Teddy and even his girl don't react in believable ways, nobody does. What's worse is the story isn't interesting. It's a werewolf movie with no fear, no suspense, and no tale.

While Julia Ducournau copies herself with Titane and takes Palme d'Or at Cannes, this movie does the same, but it only take 6/10 on IMDB. Life is unjust!!!

To be honest I was a little bit underwhelmed by the movie. Our main character Teddy is your typical loner that does not have many friends and probably doesn't know which direction his life should go and then one day he gets attacked by an unknown creature. From there on he starts to change in his behavior and his physicality. It's pretty obvious that this is a werewolf movie and I absolutely love those. I think there are not enough good werewolf movies out there but sadly this one could not contribute. It's not a bad movie don't get me wrong, the characterization and the drama are pretty good and the humor is decent, but I was expecting something different and I feel like this movie was a let down overall. The last act is where the movie starts to pick up some pace but even that can't save it because you are left with the feeling that you haven't seen that much. It's a decent werewolf movie but don't expect much horror, but instead prepare for a teen drama. [5,2/10]

Well, if nothing else, then "Teddy" certainly was a different approach on the werewolf genre.

When I stumbled upon this 2020 French movie titled "Teddy", I must admit that I was under the impression that I would be in for a horror comedy, given the movie's cover. And of course, with it being a movie that I hadn't already seen, of course I found the time to sit down and watch it.

And "Teddy" is definitely a watchable movie, although it wasn't particularly a movie that fell well into my particular taste in movies. Now, don't get me wrong here, because "Teddy" is entertaining enough, however, it just fell short of being what I assumed it would be, and there just wasn't enough happening throughout the course of the entire movie to properly keep me entertained.

There were some good moments throughout the course of the movie, where writers and directors Ludovic Boukherma and Zoran Boukherma definitely were delivering some wholehearted and well-written material. But ultimately, then "Teddy" was just too mundane.

Now, as I am by no means well-traversed in the French cinema, then I can't claim to be familiar with actor Anthony Bajon at all. But he definitely put on a very convincing performance and carried the movie well enough here, with the lead role in "Teddy".

Visually then there were potential in "Teddy", although you shouldn't be expecting to be in for a grand display of special effects or CGI. And for a werewolf movie, then there wasn't a whole lot of traditional things going on here, such as a full transformation scene.

And now that I have seen "Teddy", I can say that it is not a movie that I will be returning to watch a second time. Did it offer anything revolutionary or new to the werewolf genre? No, not really. Was it an outstanding or memorable foray into the werewolf genre? No, not realy.

I am rating "Teddy" a less than mediocre four out of ten stars.

Imagine Quentin Dupieux filming a remake of It Follows produced by A24 in the charming french countryside. It's just wonderful. This is not a horror movie. It's a comedy and it's actually funny. I've read people found the story weak but the real strength of this picture is found in the layered meaning of the story. The protagonist, a teenager who's just trying to be and to build is future while enjoying life and growing up, finds himself confronted to stereotyped and dreamless adulthood and friends. The metaphor used (the werewolf transformation) brilliantly shows the inadequacy and the rage felt by the hero, alone in his trouble. We once knew that same feeling we had as teenagers when puberty hit, trying to build our own identity. Just brilliant.