Werewolf Game review
One of Tony Todd’s last performances is the highlight of Werewolf Game.
New movie reviews will not contain spoilers.
Werewolf Game
Directed by Cara Brennan and Jack Payne II
Written by Jack Payne II
Starring Tony Todd, Bai Ling, Robert Picardo, Lydia Hearst, Teala Dunn, Time Realbuto, James Crittenden and Mk McManus
Werewolf Game Review
With only a handful of upcoming performances by the great Tony Todd to come…we’re going to try to cover his final films as they arrive. The first release following his passing last November (not including a memorable turn in the video game Indiana Jones: And the Great Circle) is Werewolf Game. A movie that would not qualify for our lunar calendar based Full Moon Features…because it isn’t a werewolf movie. Instead, it takes the classic party game and adapts it into something more cinematic. Well…somewhat more cinematic.
Twelve strangers wake up on an island paradise…forced to play a deadly game. Two of them are secret “werewolves” working against the group. To win, the group must identify the werewolves. Incorrect guesses lead to immediate, and permanent, termination. There’s a giant prize for the winner…if you can believe the evil powers that be running the game, that is.
Tony Todd portrays the Judge of the game’s events. His face is hidden behind a mask in most scenes. It allows his unique and memorable voice to steal the show. Todd isn’t a part of Werewolf Game for long stretches of time…but he makes the most of his screentime. Presiding over the voting aspects of the werewolf game allows his calm, menacing demeanor to control the film’s most intense scene.
In fact, most of what works in Werewolf Game comes from the conflicts caused by the parlor game itself. Uneasy alliances and immediate betrayals make for natural dramatic moments. You’ll like some characters and mistrust others…never quite sure who the secret werewolves are. The movie uses what works about the game to deliver some interesting character twists and turns.
The bulk of the story is spent with the twelve strangers. Their numbers decline quickly, of course. Every group vote ends in death. The secret werewolves eliminate someone each night as well. The fun of Werewolf Game, like the game itself, is trying to figure out who those killers are. In that way…this is a strong adaptation of the concept. The votes take place in a non-descript room…but the rest of the time is spent on a beautiful island surrounded by masked guards and violent countermeasures.
The problem with Werewolf Game is in how it unleashes its violence. Or, rather, how it doesn’t. Obviously due to budget constraints…deaths in Werewolf Game happen off screen. Every bullet to the head…every wolf claw to the throat…every axe to wherever the axe was heading happens out of frame. This is where the movie would have benefited from some of the practical gore effect wizardry produced by a company like Fuzz on the Lens (Stream, Terrifier 2). It’s understandable why Werewolf Game lacks the punch it could have in this area…but it feels like it’s a missing feature, nonetheless.
The acting is pretty good across the board. Characters are distinct and their evolving dynamics make for entertaining and interesting scenes. Especially when it’s time to vote. Robert Picardo plays a man obsessed with solving the mystery. Lydia Hearst’s Monika serves as the closest thing to a lead that the ensemble piece has. Tim Realbuto plays a man who claims to have insider information on what’s happening to them. Leon Andrew Joseph is the ex-military man who is ready to take out his captors in hand-to-hand combat. There are some quieter characters…and some louder ones. Bai Ling shows up for a too short amount of time. Convincing arguments are made in every direction about who the survivors should trust…and who is prowling around in wolf masks at night.
Werewolf Game begins with an oddly high-energy opening montage. It feels like a discarded opening for Miami Vice and doesn’t fit the tone of the film itself. At least, that is, until the end. After milking as much drama and mystery as it can out of the game…the movie goes into a bit of a different direction. Something cooler, more revenge based…and featuring Tony Todd sans mask. Saving the best for last.
There are patches of clunky dialog here and there…and a few moments where it feels like the momentum is getting lost…but Werewolf Game gets a surprising amount of mileage out of its central concept. It can’t deliver the wild kill scenes that would have elevated things. Not all the characters connect. There are plenty of flaws. Still, Tony Todd is great, and the story fundamentally works as a whodunnit. Whether that makes it a game worth playing is up to you.
Scare Value
Werewolf Game‘s best moments come from the infighting and accusations that go hand in hand with the game itself. A nice location helps…but those looking for memorable deaths or gore effects will be left wanting. Tony Todd spends most of his scenes behind a mask, allowing his voice to have its full dramatic effect. Todd is, as he so often was, the highlight of the movie.
2.5/5
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