For a brief period in the earlier nineties, Hollywood started making horror movies for grown-ups, major directors producing a series of glitzy, big budget takes on classic monster movie archetypes. The wave started with Coppola's "Bram Stoker's Dracula," continued with Kenneth Branagh's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein," and concluded with Mike Nichol's "Wolf," which had no source material to take an author's name from. (I guess "Mary Reilly" counts too but we don't like to talk about it.) It's a traditional werewolf story steeped in Hollywood drama prestige.
Literary editor Will Randall's life is stale. His marriage is mostly loveless and his boss is looking to replace him with a younger, more ambitious co-worker. Things begin to change after Will is bitten by a wolf while driving in Vermont. His senses improve, being able to smell details he never noticed before. He is more energetic and physically stronger. He even winds up starting a new relationship with the beautiful daughter of his boss. However, at night, he stalks around as a half-human werewolf. And then the bodies begin to pile up.
"Wolf" is the werewolf movie as character study. Mike Nichols isn't much interested in bloody horror action. Instead, he focuses on how Will's predicament changes his life. At first, his new status as a werewolf improves things. His cut-throat attitudes leave him better prepare to handle his downsizing. A literal animal magnetism attracts a new woman that looks like Michelle Pfeiffer circa 1994. Their sex life doesn't suffer any. When his nighttime adventures become bloody, it weights on Randall's mind. He angsts about the murder of his wife and chewing off a mugger's fingers. In the latter half, the focus is squarely on his struggle to contain the beast within. Nichols even uses the werewolf device to indulge in some satire. Randall literally marks his territory, scaring off his younger rival by peeing on his shoes. The movie's attempt to compare the business world or modern manhood with the world of animals has little effect on the overall story.
The film's strength as a character study is mostly thanks to an A-list cast. By this point in his career, Jack Nicholson had started coasting on his reputation. He's more engaged then usual in "Wolf." Amusingly, the movie puts a leash on Nicholson's typical theatrics for most of its runtime. He does a good job playing bored domestic schmuck for the film's first half. As the werewolf transformations begin to affect him more, Nicholson allows more of his typical style to shine through. It helps that Nicholson has strong chemistry with a smolderingly sexy Pfeiffer. They first trade typical barbs at first, masking their mutual attraction with hostility. It's a little unbelievable how quickly the relationship progresses but, hey, that's movies for ya'.
Another ace bit of casting is James Spader as the villain. His character is a boot-licking corporate ladder climber. He clearly has no concerns for anyone but himself even if he claims otherwise. His attempts to make nice are so obnoxious that you can't help but hate the guy. These qualities play to Spader's strength as an actor. In the last act, now afflicted with the werewolf condition, Spader cuts loose, dropping smarmy one-liners while casually tearing through minor characters. You honestly wish you could have seen more of Spader and Nicholson going at each other, two hammy actors competing to see who's hammier.
Those looking to "Wolf" for typical monster movie thrills are likely to be disappointed. Rick Baker created gruesome, mind-blowing werewolf transformations in "American Werewolf in London." "Wolf" is a much more low-key affair. Nicholson's werewolf amounts to contact lens, fangs, and some hair on his face and hands. It invokes the classical werewolf style while also giving you a good idea of what Jack Nicholson would look like as Wolverine. Spader's werewolf form is a little more complicated, gaining a bumpy forehead. Nichols is obviously not comfortable working in the horror genre. The one attack scene, where Jack tears loose on some muggers, is awkwardly directed. He often punctuates the werewolf scenes with melodramatic slow motion. The climatic werewolf duel provides one or two decent moment, even if a wolfed-out James Spader wielding a pair of hedge clippers is deeply goofy.
Helped along by an elegant Ennio Morricone score, "Wolf" proves a decently compelling film. It has one or two interesting takes on the werewolf legend while providing some good actors with solid material. Patient horror fans might enjoy it while Nicholson or Spader devotees are bound to get a real kick out of it.
Literary editor Will Randall's life is stale. His marriage is mostly loveless and his boss is looking to replace him with a younger, more ambitious co-worker. Things begin to change after Will is bitten by a wolf while driving in Vermont. His senses improve, being able to smell details he never noticed before. He is more energetic and physically stronger. He even winds up starting a new relationship with the beautiful daughter of his boss. However, at night, he stalks around as a half-human werewolf. And then the bodies begin to pile up.
"Wolf" is the werewolf movie as character study. Mike Nichols isn't much interested in bloody horror action. Instead, he focuses on how Will's predicament changes his life. At first, his new status as a werewolf improves things. His cut-throat attitudes leave him better prepare to handle his downsizing. A literal animal magnetism attracts a new woman that looks like Michelle Pfeiffer circa 1994. Their sex life doesn't suffer any. When his nighttime adventures become bloody, it weights on Randall's mind. He angsts about the murder of his wife and chewing off a mugger's fingers. In the latter half, the focus is squarely on his struggle to contain the beast within. Nichols even uses the werewolf device to indulge in some satire. Randall literally marks his territory, scaring off his younger rival by peeing on his shoes. The movie's attempt to compare the business world or modern manhood with the world of animals has little effect on the overall story.
The film's strength as a character study is mostly thanks to an A-list cast. By this point in his career, Jack Nicholson had started coasting on his reputation. He's more engaged then usual in "Wolf." Amusingly, the movie puts a leash on Nicholson's typical theatrics for most of its runtime. He does a good job playing bored domestic schmuck for the film's first half. As the werewolf transformations begin to affect him more, Nicholson allows more of his typical style to shine through. It helps that Nicholson has strong chemistry with a smolderingly sexy Pfeiffer. They first trade typical barbs at first, masking their mutual attraction with hostility. It's a little unbelievable how quickly the relationship progresses but, hey, that's movies for ya'.
Another ace bit of casting is James Spader as the villain. His character is a boot-licking corporate ladder climber. He clearly has no concerns for anyone but himself even if he claims otherwise. His attempts to make nice are so obnoxious that you can't help but hate the guy. These qualities play to Spader's strength as an actor. In the last act, now afflicted with the werewolf condition, Spader cuts loose, dropping smarmy one-liners while casually tearing through minor characters. You honestly wish you could have seen more of Spader and Nicholson going at each other, two hammy actors competing to see who's hammier.
Those looking to "Wolf" for typical monster movie thrills are likely to be disappointed. Rick Baker created gruesome, mind-blowing werewolf transformations in "American Werewolf in London." "Wolf" is a much more low-key affair. Nicholson's werewolf amounts to contact lens, fangs, and some hair on his face and hands. It invokes the classical werewolf style while also giving you a good idea of what Jack Nicholson would look like as Wolverine. Spader's werewolf form is a little more complicated, gaining a bumpy forehead. Nichols is obviously not comfortable working in the horror genre. The one attack scene, where Jack tears loose on some muggers, is awkwardly directed. He often punctuates the werewolf scenes with melodramatic slow motion. The climatic werewolf duel provides one or two decent moment, even if a wolfed-out James Spader wielding a pair of hedge clippers is deeply goofy.
Helped along by an elegant Ennio Morricone score, "Wolf" proves a decently compelling film. It has one or two interesting takes on the werewolf legend while providing some good actors with solid material. Patient horror fans might enjoy it while Nicholson or Spader devotees are bound to get a real kick out of it.