Wolf Man First Reviews: A Fresh Take on a Familiar Story, led by a winning Christopher Abbott performance

Leigh Whannellwriter and director of the 2002 version of The invisible manis back with another Universal Monsters remake, and his Wolf man is almost as inventive and engaging according to the new film’s early reviews. Starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, this version of the classic werewolf story is said to be intense and exciting with impressive practical makeup effects. While not among the best Blumhouse horror releases, it’s a roaring good time in theaters and further proves that Whannell is the best person to helm these reimaginings.

Here’s what critics are saying about Wolf man:

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How does it compare to the other recent horror remakes?

Wolf man is on par with The invisible manalthough perhaps far more divisive.
— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior

As in The invisible manthe director understands the deeper, almost primordial appeal that makes this such a timeless fable in the first place.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slash Film

Wolf man is not The invisible manso make sure you go in with that in mind. It was such a breath of fresh air and wonderfully executed, it would be an unfair comparison no matter what.
— Joey Magidson, Awards Radar

Although not as revolutionary as Invisible man was, it’s a rock-solid thriller that makes the most of its 103-minute running time.
— Hoai-Tran Bui, reverse

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 to be an entertaining horror watch to kick start the year.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

(After) one of the greatest remakes of all time in Robert Eggers Nosferatu, Wolf man just can’t compare to the bite size of its vastly superior contemporaries.
— Emma Kiely, Collider

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(Photo by Nicola Dove/©Universal Pictures)

Will fans of Blumhouse movies enjoy it?

Wolf man is the best Blumhouse movie in years.
— Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net

It’s poignant 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 films.
— Emma Kiely, Collider

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Does it do anything new to the werewolf genre?

Whannell manages to course correct Wolf man history by approaching his films in a more primal and straightforward way.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s movie mania

Most interestingly, Whannell reinterprets lycanthropy from a curse to a disease… This new version of werewolf lore is a strength of Whannell’s version of The Wolf Man.
— Katie Rife, IGN Films

Whannell puts a few 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 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 previous renditions.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap

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(Photo by Nicola Dove/©Universal Pictures)

How are the special effects?

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 – definitely the right choice, to break away from Marvel-style CGI overkill, and a nice way to honor every seminal 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

It’s largely achieved through the use of impressive prosthetics and aims to ensure that Blake is recognizable even in the later stages and isn’t your usual werewolf look. It works in the context of the film, but may put off werewolf purists.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

The makeup they put on struggles to scare. It’s not even consistently convincing.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap

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(Photo by Nicola Dove/©Universal Pictures)

Is it scary?

There are a handful of effective jump scares and no shortage of nausea-inducing body horror to keep us on our toes.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slash Film

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 scares are reasonably scary, albeit often familiar.
— William Bibbiani, The Wrap

Whannell ditches the creepiness for more conventional scares, though he does get creative with some of his images.
— Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

As a director, Whannell fully embraces a Spielbergian ability to put viewers on edge – and is not one but two iconic Jurassic Park set pieces – during injection Wolf man with an impressive amount of really 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 is when it’s 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 is astonishing, unnerving and grotesque to watch.
— Kate Sánchez, but why? A geek community

Wolf Man’s scares are pretty standard, though effective.
— Hoai-Tran Bui, reverse

It’s not particularly scary. It boasts some gory sequences and a transformation that has shudder-inducing beats involving fingernails and teeth, but you won’t be scared.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

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(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)

What is Christopher Abbott like as the title character?

Abbott, almost always good, is perfect here.
— Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph

What the film really hinges on is Christopher Abbott’s performance. He’s tortured before the monster even infects him, and his suitably 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 fury of a man.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

Christopher Abbott is great under that makeup… (His) performance is a standout that carries the film even when it goes silent.
— Kate Sánchez, but why? A geek community

When the hairy gloves come on and the show calls for primal conflict and animalistic fury, Abbott doesn’t feel up to the task.
— Emma Kiely, Collider

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What does Wolf man doing well?

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 is a simplicity to the storytelling that is quite welcome and refreshing in a world where horror films are becoming more and more complicated.
— Edward Douglas, The Weekend Warrior

The sound design is excellent, which goes a long way towards adding tension to several scenes of characters standing at the end of dark corridors and holding their breath.
— Katie Rife, IGN Films

It’s the sound design that really stands out… Wolf mandespite its limitations, is still worth seeing – and even more worth hearing.
— Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph

Wolf Man’s scenography is absolutely captivating. The use of dark, light and the small sections of a frame almost out of sight is masterful.
— Kate Sánchez, but why? A geek community

Whatever else may be said about it, this is a true sensory experience in every sense of the phrase.
— Jeremy Mathai, Slash Film

A lot of it does Wolf man effective is its economy… This tight focus works to the film’s advantage, creating an intimacy that heightens the tension and tragedy.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

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(Photo by ©Universal Pictures)

Does it have any major problems?

The main problem is a script that cannot understand what Charlotte is thinking or feeling from scene to scene. Garner pretty much 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 meat 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 want more.
— Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

Abbott and Garner don’t really make any romantic jabs at each other either. The movie could have had them as brother and sister and it would have been just as effective.
— Kristen Lopez, The Film Maven

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Should Leigh Whannell continue to remake Universal horror films?

Whannell proves once again that his flair for dramatically thoughtful and genuinely terrifying horror is a perfect fit for Universal’s classic monster movies.
— Matt Oakes, Silver Screen Riot

His still outstanding second Universe Monsters film proves that the franchise remains in good hands.
— Casey Chong, Casey’s movie mania

You might want that Wolf man had more bite, but it will make you want Leigh Whannell to bring another Universal Monster to life.
— Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

If anything, hopefully Whannell will be back for another Universal monster entry to get back to basics.
— Kristen Lopez, The Film Maven

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53%

Wolf man
(2025)
opens in theaters on January 17, 2025.

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