Where have all the bad wolves gone? It seems an age since the Horror Nation has seen an influx of Werewolf films. The cost of creating a modern monster has often hindered production teams from going down a full moon path. Simpler monsters such as Vampires and Zombies present a more economically feasible film. Recently there has been a sliver of hope for our favorite furry fiends. The Wolf of Snow Hollow and Werewolves Within captured economic and critical success. This spring, writer/director Mark Cantu attempts to light a spark that sets the flames of a Werewolf revolution with his latest release, Wolf Hollow. Expectations will be high with several iconic names attached to this film. Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp) Hannah Fierman (V/H/S) and Lynn Lowry (Shivers) all bring their talents to this terror trip to the woods. Will the talented team from Cineworx bring back the passion for the ancient beast, or will this film send the wolves of the night back into hibernation?
An independent film team heads out to a remote location scout for their upcoming shoot. The film’s producer, Alex Romero (Christina Krakowski,) is thrilled to be able to get such a gorgeous setting for her first feature. Thanks in large part to her friend and production assistant, Ray Neuri (Noah Welter.) Ray’s family owns the land, however, the family are not as thrilled to see their sibling as the team might have expected. Besides the consistent bickering with her director, Beth (Jess Uhler,) Alex and her team are over the moon with the scenic location. That is until they are attacked by a large beast. The film team, along with a neighboring town looking to take over, quickly discover that the inhabitants of The Hollow do not like to be disturbed. As Alex attempts to save her friends, she discovers that Ray’s family along with the inhabitants of the desolate town, harbor a dark secret. Ray must decide to either put an end to the terror that has plagued the forest for years, or to finally become a full-fledged member of the furry pack.
Wolf Hollow is a perfectly paced, action packed, fur filled thrill ride. One thing that plagues many Werewolf films is the abundant lack of actual Werewolf scenes. No such thing applies to this film, as the audience is introduced to the devious den right from the jump. The terror tale, scribed by Cantu and Brian Ceponis, never lets up. Consistently engaging the audience with rich sub-plots. There are no flaws in any performance during the entire run time, with leads Krakowski and Uhler playing off each other perfectly. Krakowski matches her dramatic style with a brave physical performance. Noah Welter brings a terrific match of strength and empathy to his role. Stealing all of his scenes is actor Brandon Krum. Krum’s energy and comedic delivery will make his character, Lucky Steve, an iconic figure in Werewolf lore. Director Cantu presents a perfectly shot film, with blood soaked set pieces intertwined throughout a stunning forest setting. The audio dubbing in the third act gives a frighting tone to the film’s hairy antagonist.
Wolf Hollow is a refreshing return to old world monsters, set in a modern world, which is not as dense as we may believe. Anyone who ventures an hour our of any major metropolitan city, has encountered these small tight knit communities that could very well be hiding a horrific secret. This realistic scenario is what makes sets Wolf Hollow apart from other such creature features. There is a very real feel to this film. One which is a believable scenario that anyone who travels outside of the comfort zone of populated areas, abandoning modern technology, could run into those things that go howl in the night.
Scream Score: 9.3 / 10