Teen Wolf: The Movie review.
It’s Full Moon Feature time once again. This month we’re going to do something that is probably ill advised. Let’s dive into the Paramount+ original movie Teen Wolf: The Movie! The reason it’s ill advised? I’ve never seen one episode of the TV series that it is a sequel to. Let’s have some fun with it.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
Teen Wolf: The Movie
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Teleplay by Jeff Davis
Starring Tyler Posey, Crystal Reed, Holland Roden, Tyler Hoechlin and Shelley Hennig
Teen Wolf: The Movie Review
Full disclosure…the only Teen Wolf that I am familiar with is the Michael J Fox comedy from the mid-80s. I was aware of a tv drama series of the same name existing…but never watched any of it. If that makes reviewing the Paramount+ movie revival of the series seem like a strange choice…yeah I get it. I think it makes it a fun idea though. Fans of the show will no doubt have already made their choice whether to watch Teen Wolf: The Movie or not. I’ll let everyone who isn’t familiar with the series know what the deal is.
For the most part, I don’t think previous familiarity with the series is necessary to enjoy what Teen Wolf: The Movie has to offer. Of course a deeper connection to these characters and their backstory can only bolster the enjoyment of the film…and I’m confident that fans of the series would give it a higher rating than this review inevitably will. But, again, this review isn’t for those people. If you liked the show getting a movie sequel is a damned exciting thing. And I’m happy to report that it’s a well made feature with a clear eye towards a possible future continuation.
For the rest of us…man Teen Wolf: The Movie is one long watch. Clocking in at over two hours…there is definitely a better movie to cut out of what’s here. It gets overloaded with characters who pop in without much to add to what is working in the narrative. Some fan service is definitely expected in a situation like this…but long stretched of Teen Wolf: The Movie can be overwhelmed with it. There are two main storylines that really work, even to non-viewers of the series. The larger, over-arching story is more unwieldy and far less effective.
The best aspect of Teen Wolf: The Movie involved the resurrection of a character who (so I read later on a Wikipedia page) died halfway through the original series. Knowing what happened in the past isn’t key to enjoyment of what happens here. The movie does a fantastic job giving us the information needed to connect to the character and how she relates to others. Essentially…Teen Wolf: The Movie brings back a love interest of the main character as a wolf hunter who doesn’t remember their previous relationship. It leads to some very fun scenes and emotionally resonant payoffs. Eventually it gets sucked in to that larger narrative and loses a bit of luster…but overall this felt like fan service done right.
The second storyline that worked for me as a non-viewer was the growth of an actual teen wolf now that the titular one is in his 30s. By the way, a coach at a lacrosse game does point out that the main character looks like he’s 30 playing in a high school game…which may be the only moment the film attempts comedy. At least it lands it…but this movie could have used more humor. Speaking of lacrosse…it appears to be a very big deal in the world of Teen Wolf. The movie mostly feels like a satisfying scope for a film…but bogs down in teen tv soap drama a few times. Never more than as it relates to the big lacrosse game.
Digression over…that lacrosse sub plot actually ties in to the other storyline that works. A teen wolf who is struggling with harnessing his power and he must learn on the fly as the world is in peril around him. This is where Teen Wolf: The Movie is most clearly pointing towards a future for the franchise…but it’s a compelling start for the new character. And then it turns into a big lacrosse game for some reason.
It’s not all sunshine in Teen Wolf: The Movie. The truth is that those two stories elevate the overall package…but the overall package is a mess. Poorly paced and lacking focus, it’s a credit to the strength of the two sub plots that I walked away from the experience having enjoyed the viewing and more interested in delving into the lore of the world. There’s a lot that isn’t explained in the movie…especially with the lore of wolves. It doesn’t really hurt anything but you are kind of left to piece it together as you go. Again, this won’t be a problem for fans of the show anyway.
The cast is up and down. There’s a definite comfortability and chemistry between characters that helps…but there is also a lot of TV acting going on. Some fair better than others…but mostly the stuff that has to work does. Carried by knowing performances if not memorable ones.
If you’ve noticed that I haven’t discussed the larger plot of Teen Wolf: The Movie yet…there is a good reason for that. I didn’t really understand most of it. It seemed to be a sequel to a story from the series and that hurts trying to follow it for non-viewers. Unlike the resurrection of the earlier mentioned character…the history of the villain isn’t as clearly explained. It felt like the payoff to a lot of lore that I wasn’t privy to. Now…even without full grasp on the plot here…I was still able to enjoy several emotional beats…especially ones that tied into the previously mentioned storylines. There’s love and loss and character growth that play universally to viewers both new and old.
There is definitely a better movie in Teen Wolf: The Movie than the bloated, fan service filled mess that dominates most of the exorbitant run time. But there are enough moments of excitement and adventure here to recommend giving it a shot. Old viewers will no doubt be doing so without prodding. New ones might find enough to press them into watching the series afterwards. Or…maybe you’ll find you can scratch it off your list altogether. You could also watch all six seasons beforehand. Let me know how that goes.
Scare Value
Even without the background to the characters and lore…a good portion of Teen Wolf: The Movie works. The two major storylines are well done and provide a fair share of the interest in a viewing. Unfortunately, the movie is very long and bloated with unnecessary characters no doubt included to satisfy fans of the series. Not everything here makes sense to a non-fan of the series…but I felt like the most important parts did. It could have used some more wolf action either way.
2.5/5
Teen Wolf: The Movie Link
Streaming on Paramount+
Teen Wolf: The Movie Trailer
If you enjoyed this review of Teen Wolf: The Movie, check out another Full Moon Features: Viking Wolf
