User Reviews

War Wolves starts in the Middle East where a unit of US soldiers are ambushed & caught in a firefight, as well as facing bullets a half man half wolf Middle Eastern thing also attacks them. Jump forward 'Six Months Later' & the unit have gone their separate ways & are trying to forget about past events, however none of them can escape the fact that they are changing into half people half wolf type creatures every so often which just isn't normal. Erika Moore (Natasha Alam) wants to use the power for evil while recovering alcoholic Jake Gabriel (director Michael Worth) is trying to get on with his life as best he can but Erika needs him, for what I don't know. Meanwhile Werewolf hunters Tony Ford (John Saxon) & Frank Bergman (Tim Thomerson) travel the US killing these infected humans & trying to rid the world of this menace once & for all...

Directed by & staring Michael Worth I have to say that I thought War Wolves was an absolutely terrible film, as a Sci-Fi Channel original there's so little action or incident in it that I wouldn't even go as far as to call it a 'Creature Feature'. The script is a mess, it tries to mix horror, war, martial arts action, drama & even has a stab at saying something about Gulf War syndrome & the state soldiers are left in after a tour of duty. War Wolves is one of the worst written films I have ever seen, there's no explanation of what the creatures are in the film or where they came from, no reason is given for why Erika wants Jake so much, what about the other members of the unit? Wouldn't one of those do? In fact there's never any explanation or reason given for what Erika wanted to do or why she was evil or anything. There's no explanation about why the wolf thing at the start attacked the unit but didn't kill them, there's no reason given why people change, their strengths or weaknesses & there's a terrible ending which is impossible to figure out, Erika & Jake are seen talking & then that's, they are never shown again. After sitting though almost 100 minutes of this crap that's an extremely unsatisfying way to round the film off & the whole thing is so bitty with a broken narrative where it feels like random scenes are spliced together (Erika being knocked down, a couple of slow motion fight scenes, two girls who run a motel & other annoying scenes) & I lost interest very quickly although I did stick it out until the end so never let anyone say I didn't give it a chance. Take into consideration that there is zero gore, rubbish dialogue, paper thin character's, quite the worst most random underdeveloped plot I have seen in a long time, the fact that it's incredibly boring & dull & what we have here is a complete turkey.

Apart from a couple of awful Matrix wannabe fight scenes there's zero action & surprisingly no gore expect a few splashes of blood. The make-up effects on the wolf creature things at the end is awful, we are talking joke shop standards here, it's maybe the poorest make-up job I have in a long while & the actor's underneath just look daft. The make-up makes them look more like Vampires than Werewolves as they grow fangs & a bit of a snout but don't grow any body hair. I don't know what else to say really, everything about War Wolves is terrible.

With a supposed budget of about $500,000 this really does look even lower budget than that, at least there's no bad CGI in it like most Sci-Fi Channel films since there isn't any CGI anyway. Surprisingly there's a few cameos here by actor's who must have been desperate, John Saxon, Tim Thomerson, Adrienne Barbeau, Martin Kove & Art LaFleur.

War Wolves is maybe the worst film I have seen during 2009 so far & that's saying something since it's up against some stiff competition. I really can't think of a single aspect of War Wolves that I enjoyed or even makes any sense. Really, really bad.

I've watched many horror movies over the years. I especially loved werewolf movies. Remember Lon Chaney? Forgive me if I've spelled his name incorrectly, this movie was so bad I didn't have the energy to make sure my spelling is correct. I've not written a review before, but felt, as a responsible adult I had to warn the world out there of this....film. I shudder to use film in juxtaposition with this drivel. John Saxon and Adrienne Barbeau have never been known for their Oscars but they've hit new lows with this flick. The music is the only thing I enjoyed about it, and even then I would not have gone out to buy the CD. There have been other horrors made using a war as a basis for a horror tale. I won't name any of them as it would be an insult to bad movies everywhere. Does this little essay contain spoilers? Commenting on it is a spoiler. Do not waste your time renting or watching it. The only reason my wife and I watched it all is that we were foolish enough to rent it. I pray I've saved some folks from a fate worse than death. I'd have given it a zero, but 1 is the best I could do. If you watch it in spite of the warning, don't blame me. It doesn't even reach cult status.

I wasn't going to write a review of this movie. Then I saw the scene at the out lying hotel/motel. Give me a break. Werewolves that also think, talk, and use weapons? Come on at least stick to the commonality of the stereotypes. You get three female soldiers who get the bug from the Arabs and come back to the US to feed(?). They embrace the the bad and use it to beat up the guys. Talk about reverse misogyny!!!! But then I guess it is about time huh? The good/bad guy with the bug that doesn't take over is eating raw meat and downing hard stuff by the bottle. Adrienne Barbeau's character is the most well developed of the whole movie. She seems to not really know what is up but as the movie progresses her little snippets of insights and lore is the high points of the show.

Let's see, it has three of the most very super hot female werewolves I've ever seen.

That's about all I can say about this movie, other than that SciFi channel has really gone down hill on their flicks. This had to have been an extremely low budgeted film.

The plot was very weak, at the end only two of the three female werewolves actually die and you never find out what happens to Kacey (Siri Baruc), did she live, die, run away?

John Saxon's role was very weak, for a star of his caliber I expected better. They should have hired a better military adviser, the army portion was not believable.

You never actually find out how all five became werewolves (3 female - 2 male), was it a virus like the movie description says or was it by injury?????

Other than the HOT women, I see this as two hours of my life I will never get back!

OK that might be exaggerating a little bit, if u are fan of the so called werewolves-films out there, then u might just probably wanna see this one. But then I would suggest to fast forward straight to the end, because the rest of the movie really is below average, and that is still putting it very politely.

Anyway, the story on itself isn't to bad at all. Couple of marines, get caught in the war (mostlikely Iracq) they get infected by a tribe of wolf-people, making sure they will change themselves into wolves over time. Any sci-fi and horror lover will just lick his fingers on a story like this. (So did I btw). And I know it is a low-budget movie, but in the end low-budget means not that many special effects and not the A-list actors. Here we have a gathering of some veterans on the B and C-list, whom in the past have given some decent performances. But in this movie it is just over the top, actually so much over that it tends to become ridiculous (but that was I suppose not the intention) So the acting is rather bad, not to say borderline awful. Besides that the make-up for the changing characters in wolves, was just childlike, they look like they are ready to go to some carnaval festival, instead of trying to scare us or make us believe that they actually can change into wolves. There is another low-budget about people changing into wolves out there, starring Olivier Martinez (believe the name is Blood and Wine) now there the effects were a lot more realistic, then in this film. Overall this film has let me down over the whole line. The editing was bad, the acting not good, the director doesn't know how to tell a story, and what is the thing with Elvis actually ???? If anyone can tell me the relevance, I would greatly appreciate it.

Young soldiers in a dangerous gunfight in Iraq, encounter Arab werewolves who curse them with lycanthropy, returning home to United States fighting the primal beast which wishes to emerge. Michael Worth directs and stars as Jake Gabriel, a boozing grocery checker in a small town using pills and drink to halt the wolf that is wanting to take control. Meanwhile, his comrades from the military, including lover, Erika(Natasha Alam)wish to find him so that they can form as a collective group which could mean devastating consequences towards innocents who are in their vicinity, particularly when hunger strikes. John Saxon and Tim Thomerson star as Vietnam veterans who are werewolf hunters, Ford and Bergman, with plans to execute Erika and her gang for the threat they pose to the American population. Jake, however, doesn't embrace the wolf, and finds an adversary in a fellow soldier who wishes for him to join them..the more Jake resists, the more his former war buddy pressures him, through combat. Jake also struggles to resist Erika who believes he's vital towards the strength of their group..despite how her sisters, Kacey(Siri Baruc)& Justine(Kristi Clainos), disregard him as a distraction whose resistance risks their well being. Adrienne Barbeau shines as Gail, a charming, likable loon(..the type that believes that aliens, Elvis, among other things exist)who rambles on to Jake, who takes her in stride because of how she took him in, giving him a home. Martin Kove shows up for five minutes as werewolf hunter, Malick, who is quite cocky and loves the sound of his own voice..his babbling costs him dearly.

No werewolf transformations in this film(..just the eyes change color, fingernails and teeth extend, ears become pointy, with a knob nose..but no full wolf-beast)which was a bummer, and Worth never really delivers any full-scale action set-pieces involving our hunters and their prey. Some wire-fu as Jake battles his adversary(..it's shot in a rather unexciting way, however, as the two combatants tangle, swing each other around, and connect barely visible blows due to Worth's quick edit style) and a couple minor shoot-outs between Saxon/Thomerson and their targets, which is a shame. Worth also adopts the annoying shaky-cam tactics during action sequences which removes any potential thrills. Sadly, Saxon and Thomerson aren't allowed to blow werewolves away which would've been the draw of such a film as this. Worth gives himself the starring role as the torn hero who just wishes to live in peace without the inner battle that's raging within. It was great seeing genre veterans Saxon, Thomerson, Barbeau, and Art Lafluer(..attending the church AAA meeting) together in the church at the end as the final battle erupts(..although, Saxon and Thomerson, guns in hand, get no opportunity to use their weapons). Thomerson and Saxon have terrific chemistry and seem to get along incredibly well..too bad Worth wouldn't let the old timers kick some ass. The werewolves themselves, basically ferocious humans, rarely engage in combat(..the bar sequence where the were-girls destroy a group of hick thugs doesn't even deliver)which it in itself makes WAR WOLVES a dud. SKINWALKERS, a rather minor, tame werewolf tale fares far better than WAR WOLVES..another werewolf film that fails to provide the necessary thrills.

I decided to go with the advice of people that actually liked this film and took a chance with it, the film started out okay then as it progressed it really started to drag, the pace was slow, there were very few action scenes in the film that never really helps pick up the pace and it probably has the most confusing dialog I've ever heard in a film.

The acting wasn't bad at all but the dialog at times made no sense, for example after a fight scene with the main character and his former friend the main female villain comes out and talks about how our hero always asks for directions and always leaves the toilet seat down, after hearing that I just scratched my head and wondered what directions and toilet seats have to do with the main story.

The effects were very below par, the only thing the werewolves consisted of was contact lenses and rubber teeth, otherwise they were just people running around on all fours.

Overall, this isn't really worth seeing, the dialog is confusing it barely even references the main plot it mainly consist of a lot of weird comments like the one I pointed out and as for the effects, well I know hardcore werewolf fans won't be pleased with people running around on all fours having only contact lenses and rubber teeth to show that they are in werewolf form so its best to go for something else.

I got that in a 5$ bucket of DVD of a video store sale, having never watch it i tough 5$ was not too much considering the renting price of 4$ in much video store...

So well, got it, watched it, and i was hoping for way better. Sure it was not all bad, it had decent stuff, but overall the biggest problem of this movie is that the story seem to search badly for its plot... if that make sense. I remember people saying Alone in the Dark(2005) had an unclear story but this one is way worst. Its like "there is the goodies who want to remain good and the baddies who want to be bad and that cover much of it but you never get anything more about there motive or anything. Overall they all get infected at war in afghan, then they are back home and you never know anything much except that Jake try to control the beast and stay good, and Erika for never mentioned reason want to be evil and want Jake to join them. Add the 2 wolvies hunter that want to kill them because there are wolves... and here you got, you got the story. But its poorly written, leaves lot of plot holes or stuff never explained. Well its disappointing.

At least the chicks are hot. The fights scene are weird a little bit, they try to show werewolves power in fights "wired style martial arts" and even tough they are not bad(but not great) they tend to come out weird as completely not matching the plot.

Honestly i could go on about things not being understand, or weirdly done, but the truth is i didn't watch time during it, like i do when the movie truly bore me... i couldn't say i was chill up and all, but that was OK for me. I would say in a way it remind me of Thralls(aka Blood Angels) also with Siri Baruc, but this one even being cheesy vampire stuff, had a clear story. The babes where hot, i liked the setting and thats why i got the DVD in my collection and watch it sometimes. But this one... probably gonna go at the pawnshop for 1$...

This movie is like the AMPM stores. Ever seen the commercials for it? Like the store this movie has TOO MUCH GOOD STUFF. Where do I begin? Let's see... Great acting, incredible and deep dialog, unique and interesting characters, a neat surprise ending, unexpected scares, smokin' hot female werewolves (suck it, Twilight!), etc. Michael Worth was the writer for Sasquatch Mountain which had just as much memorable dialog as War Wolves. May I just say that the creative title War Wolves alone is enough to intrigue me. This movie is one of the best werewolf films I have ever seen. Everything in the film just came together so well, I could not have asked for a better result. This movie is going down as a favorite for me!

"War Wolves" is a potentially promising but ultimately unspectacular werewolf effort.

**SPOILERS**

Coming back from Afghanistan, squadron Jake Gabriel, (Michael Worth) Erika Moore, (Natasha Alam) Justine, (Kristi Clainos) Casey, (Siri Baruc) Clay, (Dan Southworth) and Andrew Jensen, (Alex Ballar) are struggling to adapt to being civilians, and several of them turn homicidal as a result. Seemingly convinced that something happened to them back during the war, this leads Tony Ford, (John Saxon) and Frank Bergman, (Tim Thomerson) hunters of strange creatures, to conclude that a werewolf virus had infected the unit and has caused all of them to turn into ravenous creatures. Unable to fight them off, they enlist one of the soldiers who still has control over the situation to help them, and together they head off to eliminate the remaining squad members before more succumb to the virus.

The Good News: This one did have some good points about it that did work. One of the best aspects here is the fact that there's a rather large amount of action presented within, despite not a whole lot of scenes overall, but overall when it focuses on action the film is rather entertaining. Once it starts at the beginning with the squad's infiltration of the station during the war, it's an all-out firing zone on both sides which results in all-out chaos during the battle, with blood aplenty, some traditional war-movie style action and a hint of suspense when it's revealed that there's something sinister among the group when they start getting attacked by the strange humanoid-creatures, which makes it all the more frightening as well as action-packed. There's also a really fun barroom brawl here which shows three of the women taking out all the guys in the place in an old-western style fight scene that is an absolute blast to watch, namely for the women but also because it's just so cheesy and entertaining. A motel ambush that turns into a shoot-out also has some good parts to it, and features some rather impressive moments. All of them, pale, though, to the two full-on martial-arts-filled fist-fights that litter the finale of the movie, with two of them coming out as quite a lot of fun. The first, which is designated as a training session, is over a little quickly but still has a great pace to it that makes it somewhat enjoyable, and the final part is a full-on part that has absolutely nothing at all wrong with it but has a lot going for it. From a great location to good moves to a nicely balanced back-and-forth struggle, it ends the action nicely and keeps up the fun pace. There's also quite a nice bit of blood here, despite there not really having a lot of variety in the kills yet the splatter shown is good enough to stay interesting. The last plus is the fact that this one manages to use a slow-burn on the werewolf transformation, which is a nice touch and really has its moments. These here are all that work for this one.

The Bad News: There were only a couple flaws here, but those here are quite a bit more important than the positives. One of the biggest issues with this one is the fact that the film is so scattershot with its plot that it's virtually impossible to determine what the storyline is about. The original premise, about soldiers being exposed to a werewolf virus while in Iraq makes sense, but then to feature all of them returning back with hardly mention of anything going on or why this is central to their actions makes understanding the film almost impossible. Beyond several mentions of them proclaiming that he is integral is all we get, and that makes for a series of scenes that go by at a slow, pedestrian pace without any kind of explanation as to why it's happening, and due to getting so many different plots going at once is the real fault here. Some of them easily could've been trimmed and removed, slimming down the running time and forcing the remaining time on developing the few good ideas it has in here. Also problematic is the fact that there's no explanation as for why the werewolves are suddenly martial-artists with the skills beyond normal humans, able to leap around on wires and do highly-acrobatic turns and kicks when nothing of the sort has even been used to denote that as a skill is rather troublesome, and that they can even do it at all is a big problem. The fact that this one tends to suffer from a rather important flaw in that the werewolf transformations, which are integral to a werewolf film, are nowhere to be seen and instead the film forces upon us the most insipid, utterly laughable and ridiculous looking beasts to pass as werewolves in the entire genre, is perhaps the most egregious flaw here though. There's no human-into-wolf scenes here, but instead simply show up in fangs, contacts and dog-noses attached to them, acting like the martial-artist mentioned earlier, and are expected to be bought as werewolves. It's beyond laughable, it's simply ridiculous and makes them look even more low-rent than they should be, and that takes a lot of fear out of them, which when combined with the other problems really lowers this one considerably. These here are the film's flaws.

The Final Verdict: Without a whole lot of really good parts and only some really bad ones, this one doesn't turn out that good overall and is overall disappointing. Worth a look for those into the genre or are huge fans of the usual Sci-Fi Channel fare, while those that aren't fans now shouldn't expect much from this one.

Rated R: Graphic Violence, Language and Brief Nudity