'Wolf Man' DVD Review: A Howling Hybrid of Old School Horror and Modern Anxiety

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When Leigh Whannell announced he’d be tackling the Wolf Man after his reinvention of The Invisible Man, which I very much enjoyed, my horror-loving heart skipped a beat. Could lightning strike twice? After checking out the flick now that it’s available on Blu-ray, I can confirm this reimagining has serious bite, even if it doesn’t quite match the perfection of his previous monster makeover.

In Wolf Man, Blake (Christopher Abbott) relocates his strained family to his inherited childhood home in rural Oregon following his father’s disappearance. When an unseen animal attacks them upon arrival, Blake, his high-powered wife Charlotte (Julia Garner), and their young daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) barricade themselves inside. As the night unfolds, Blake’s behavior becomes increasingly disturbing and inhuman, forcing Charlotte to determine which poses the greater threat – the creature stalking outside or her transforming husband within.

Check out the trailer below.

Wolf Man Movie Trailer

Wolf Man DVD Review: What I Liked and Didn’t Like

Let’s get this out of the way: the practical effects in this film are absolutely stunning. In an age where CGI werewolves bound across our screens with varying degrees of success, there’s something viscerally disturbing about watching Christopher Abbott’s transformation scenes unfold through old-school makeup and prosthetics. When his bones crack, and his skin stretches, you feel it in your own body. One particular sequence where we see the change from Abbott’s perspective had me holding my breath (and acutely aware of my own lower back pain).

But here’s where things get a bit… hairy. For all its technical prowess, Wolf Man suffers from pacing issues that had me checking my watch during the first act. Whannell spends so much time establishing the family dynamic that I found myself thinking, “Okay, I get it – now, where’s the wolf?” It’s worth the wait when the horror finally kicks in, but that initial drag might lose viewers with shorter attention spans.

Also worth noting from my perspective, the decision to frame lycanthropy as a disease rather than a curse is a fascinating twist on the mythology. It allows the film to explore themes of deterioration, loss of control, and watching a loved one become unrecognizable – a territory that feels deeply relevant in our pandemic-conscious world.

The Story & The Script

Abbott plays Blake Lovell, a devoted father and husband who returns to his childhood home in rural Oregon with his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) and daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) after inheriting the property. What should be a fresh start quickly unravels when Blake is attacked during a night walk in the surrounding woods.

The film smartly keeps us guessing about what exactly happened during that attack. Instead, we witness Blake’s slow unraveling – heightened senses, aggression, and an increasing disconnect from his humanity. Rather than jump straight to full-on wolf madness, Whannell gives us a man fighting desperately against his transformation, making those moments when he loses control all the more devastating.

Charlotte’s journey from concerned spouse to protective mother bear as she realizes the danger her husband poses creates the emotional core of the film. Their relationship feels lived-in and authentic, making the horror elements land with greater impact. When Blake looks at his wife with increasingly feral eyes, you can feel years of love being overshadowed by primal instinct.

Unfortunately, the intergenerational trauma theme that bubbles beneath the surface here never quite reaches its full potential. Hints about Blake’s father and grandfather suggest a deeper story that the film only barely scratches. I kept waiting for revelations that would tie everything together, but some threads remained frustratingly loose at the final howl.

The Performances

Christopher Abbott deserves all the praise being heaped on his performance. He brings such humanity to Blake that watching him lose that humanity becomes genuinely upsetting. The physical transformation is impressive, but it’s the psychological breakdown that really showcases his talent. Abbott manages to convey both the protective instinct of a loving father and the terrifying rage of a man losing control of himself.

Julia Garner continues to prove she’s one of the most interesting actresses working today. Charlotte could have been a standard “worried wife” character, but Garner infuses her with complexity and agency. There’s a scene where she’s simultaneously terrified of her husband and heartbroken for him that’s masterfully played – no dialogue needed, just those expressive eyes conveying worlds of emotion.

Young Matilda Firth holds her own alongside these powerhouse performers. Child actors in horror films often fall into annoying territory, but Firth’s Ginger feels like a real kid caught in an impossible situation. Her fear feels genuine, and her moments of bravery are earned rather than forced.

DVD Highlights

Wolf Man is officially out Digital as well as Blu-ray, DVD, 4K UHD, and Limited Edition Steelbook – and Blumhouse has packed this release with so man bonus features! There are over 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes goodness that promises to satisfy your curiosity about how they pulled off those incredible transformation sequences (it still feels like magic to me even after watching the features).

My favorite highlights from the extras:

“Unleashing a New Monster” explores Whannell’s vision for reinventing this classic creature. It’s always fascinating to see how filmmakers approach beloved monsters with reverence while still bringing something new to the table.
“Designing Wolf Man” might be my favorite extra, as prosthetic designer Arjen Tuiten walks us through the creation of this uniquely disturbing version of the werewolf that, as I mentioned, feels somehow more human and thus more unsettling.
For the adrenaline junkies, “Hands On Horror” breaks down those pulse-pounding sequences that had us gripping our armrests.
And then there is “Nightmares and Soundscapes,” which dives into the technical wizardry that put us inside Blake’s transforming perspective.
And because no horror release is complete without it, we get a feature commentary with Whannell himself.

Overall Thoughts

Wolf Man isn’t perfect, but it’s exactly the kind of thoughtful horror filmmaking we need more of. It respects its classic source material while finding new angles to explore, and it privileges tension and dread over cheap jump scares (though there are a few effective ones sprinkled in).

The film’s greatest strength is how it balances monster movie thrills with genuine emotional stakes. By making the Wolf Man someone we care about rather than just a creature to be feared, Whannell creates a horror experience that haunts you long after the credits roll. That final scene between Charlotte and Blake? I’m still thinking about it days later.

For horror fans tired of empty calorie frights, this reimagining offers something meatier to sink your teeth into. The atmospheric Oregon setting, with its fog-shrouded forests and isolated cabin, creates the perfect backdrop for this tale of isolation and transformation. Some of the scenes are so beautifully composed they could hang in a gallery of horror art.

Is it as revolutionary as Whannell’s Invisible Man? Again, no. That film felt like a complete reinvention, while Wolf Man is more of a respectful update with some innovative twists. But when those twists work – like the jaw-dropping dinner scene that I wouldn’t dare spoil – they remind you why monster movies have endured for generations.

If you’re looking for over-the-top werewolf action, you might leave disappointed. But if you appreciate slow-burn horror that uses its monsters to explore human fears and frailty, Wolf Man delivers the goods with style, substance, and just enough scares to send you home checking over your shoulder.

Wolf Man DVD Review:

Grade: B