Leigh Whannell, writer and director of the 2002 version of The Invisible Man, is back with another Universal Monsters remake, and his Wolf Man is nearly as inventive and engaging according to the new film’s first reviews. Starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, this take on the classic werewolf story is said to be intense and thrilling, with impressive practical makeup effects. While not among the best Blumhouse horror releases, it’s a howling good time at the movies and further proves Whannell is the best person to helm these reimaginings.
Here’s what critics are saying about Wolf Man:
Wolf Man is on par with The Invisible Man, though it might be far more divisive.
— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior
Just like in The Invisible Man, the director understands the deeper, almost primeval appeal that makes this such a timeless fable in the first place.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
Wolf Man is not The Invisible Man, so be sure to go in with that in mind. That was such a breath of fresh air and wonderfully executed, it would be an unfair comparison, regardless.
— Joey Magidson, Awards Radar
While not as revolutionary as Invisible Man was, it’s a rock-solid thriller that makes the most of its 103-minute runtime.
— Hoai-Tran Bui, Inverse
So it’s not an instant classic like The Invisible Man. I think we can all live with that.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap
If not quite as successful or memorable as [The Invisible Man], Wolf Man still proves an entertaining horror watch to kickstart the year.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
[After] one of the greatest remakes of all time in Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu, Wolf Man just can’t compare to the bite-size of its much superior contemporaries.
— Emma Kiely, Collider
(Photo by Nicola Dove/©Universal Pictures)
Wolf Man is the best Blumhouse movie in years.
— Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net
It’s gripping enough — a mid- rather than top-tier Blumhouse entry.
— David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter
The basic premise of the family unit being targeted feels repetitive and derivative of other Blumhouse movies.
— Emma Kiely, Collider
Whannell manages to course-correct the Wolf Man story by approaching his movie in a more primal and straightforward manner.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
Most interestingly, Whannell reimagines lycanthropy from a curse to a disease… This fresh take on werewolf lore is one strength of Whannell’s version of The Wolf Man.
— Katie Rife, IGN Movies
Whannell puts a couple of interesting spins on the story, circling back to the beginning of the film in a satisfying way.
— Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
This is my favorite adaptation of the Wolf Man character yet… Easily the scariest movie with this character.
— Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net
One gets the distinct impression that Whannell’s interpretation of a “wolf man” may not demonize wolves as much as the earlier renditions.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap
(Photo by Nicola Dove/©Universal Pictures)
Dizzying, grotesque, and tragic, emphasizing the emotional devastation that comes with body horror and unwilling transformation.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
It’s done imaginatively with prosthetics and make-up – absolutely the right choice, in breaking away from Marvel-style CGI overkill, and a nice way of honoring every landmark film in this subgenre over the years.
— Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
It helps that the emphasis is on practical effects, not CG.
— David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter
Largely achieved using impressive prosthetics, it’s aimed at ensuring Blake is recognisable even in the later stages and isn’t your usual werewolf look. It works within the context of the movie, but could put off werewolf purists.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
The makeup they settled on struggles to terrify. It’s not even consistently convincing.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap
(Photo by Nicola Dove/©Universal Pictures)
There are a handful of effective jump scares and no shortage of nausea-inducing body horror to keep us on our toes.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
The sheer amount of tension and unease that permeates the film more than makes up for the lack of many outright jump scares.
— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior
The frights are reasonably frightful, albeit often familiar.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap
Whannell allows the creepiness to give way to more conventional scares, though he gets creative with some of his shots.
— Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
As a director, Whannell fully embraces a Spielbergian ability to put viewers on edge — aping not one but two iconic Jurassic Park set pieces — while injecting Wolf Man with an impressive amount of truly stressful set pieces.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
To its credit, there are some decent gore scenes.
— Emma Kiely, Collider
The best elements of Wolf Man are when it is gross and violent and doubles down on a transformation that deals with the same kind of disgust you felt watching The Fly for the first time. It’s astounding, unnerving, and grotesque to see.
— Kate Sánchez, But Why Tho? A Geek Community
Wolf Man’s scares are pretty standard, though effective.
— Hoai-Tran Bui, Inverse
It’s not particularly scary. It does boast some gory sequences and a transformation that has wince-inducing beats involving fingernails and teeth, but you won’t be terrified.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)
Abbott, almost invariably good, is perfect here.
— Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
What the movie really hinges on is Christopher Abbott’s performance. He’s tortured before the monster even infects him, and his fittingly hangdog performance makes his de-evolution particularly tragic.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap
Abbott shines in the lead role, skillfully balancing the protective instincts of a loving father with the primal rage of a man going rabid.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
Christopher Abbott is fantastic under that makeup… [His] performance is a standout that carries the film even when it lulls.
— Kate Sánchez, But Why Tho? A Geek Community
When the hairy gloves come on and the performance demands primal conflict and animalistic rage, Abbott doesn’t feel up to the task.
— Emma Kiely, Collider
What should be applauded is the excellent use of visual storytelling to put the audience in Blake’s perspective as he transforms.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
There’s a simplicity to the storytelling that is quite welcome and refreshing in a world where horror movies are growing more and more complicated.
— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior
The sound design is excellent, which goes a long way towards adding tension to multiple scenes of characters standing at the end of dark hallways holding their breath.
— Katie Rife, IGN Movies
It’s the sound design that really stands out… Wolf Man, despite its limitations, is still worth seeing – and even more worth hearing.
— Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
Wolf Man’s set design is absolutely engrossing. The use of darkness, light, and the small sections of a frame almost out of sight is masterful.
— Kate Sánchez, But Why Tho? A Geek Community
Whatever else might be said about it, this is a true sensory experience in every sense of the phrase.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slashfilm
Much of what makes Wolf Man effective is its economy… This tight focus works in the film’s favor, creating an intimacy that amplifies the tension and the tragedy.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)
The main problem is a script that can’t make sense of what Charlotte’s thinking or feeling from scene to scene. Garner largely plays the role in a daze.
— Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
Julia Garner is a brilliant performer but either her character was never fleshed out or most of the flesh was dropped on the cutting room floor.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap
Garner is always good, but even she needs enough to work with. And here, you’re left wanting more.
— Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
Abbott and Garner also don’t really give off any romantic twinges towards each other. The movie could have had them as brother and sister and it’d be just as effective.
— Kristen Lopez, The Film Maven
Whannell proves once again that his flair for dramatically thoughtful and genuinely scary horror is a perfect match for Universal’s classic monster movies.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot
His still-exceptional second Universe Monsters movie proves the franchise remains in good hands.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania
You might be wishing that Wolf Man had more bite, but it will leave you wanting Leigh Whannell to bring another Universal Monster to life.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
If anything, hopefully Whannell comes back for another Universal monsters entry to get back to basics.
— Kristen Lopez, The Film Maven
54%
Wolf Man
(2025)
opens in theaters on January 17, 2025.
