I have no real interest in the Twilight series personally. I will eventually give in and check them out to see what all this hype is about, but for now, I think there are other films that deserve the attention. With this hype, you are always going to get those direct-to-DVD films that look like they are going to have the same plot or in some way relate to the whole vampire/werewolf genre that films like Twilight represent. NeoWolf may seem like one of those films when you take a glace at its box cover, and this little indie film does have a similar relation with its love story, but it’s more bloodthirsty and has a surprisingly deeper story.
Neowolf plays off like a Fullmoon film from the nineties. It’s about a young guy, Tony, who has left his small town and his girlfriend to go out into the world to try to make it as a rock star. Having had a few opportunities that really did not pan out, he decides to go back home to see his girlfriend, Rosemary. Along the way, he sees a tour bus going around the neighborhood and decides to check out what is going on when he sees the bands bus in front of a local club. During an amateur night, Tony performs and the band, NeoWolf, is impressed. They ask him to join them at their practice and he agrees to do so. The night of partying ends with Tony having sex with the band’s groupies who transforms into a wolf and bites Tony. Tony, now part of the pack of werewolves, agrees to play with the band, but his love for Rosemary holds him back as he struggles to realize what is becoming of him. Rosemary suspects that the band is up to no good and upon further research with the help of the local floral designer with a knack for the occult, finds that there is more to them than people know, and that they are, in fact, werewolves. Together, they help Tony be free of this curse and destroy the members of the band before more people in their small town are found dead.
I had so much running though my head while watching this film that I can honestly say that this is one of the best-worst films that I have ever seen. What I mean by that is that this film has some great scenes, but it also has scenes that made me want to throw tomatoes at everyone involved in the project. Hear me out here: This is one of those film that is good and bad on a per scene basis. There are some scenes that are very well-written with fairly good acting, then the very next scene is like a bunch of monkeys were given a camera and told to make a film and act in it. I honestly was confused as to whether or not I actually liked the film. What it all came down to was that I actually had a good time watching it, both the good and the bad scenes. Where I have to give it credit is in the storyline. Some of the scenes are written well, and I’ll give the filmmakers credit, and god bless the editor who actually put this film together and made it bearable to watch.
The production value is up and down in this one. While the locations work well for what the filmmakers need them for, the make-up effects are basic for the close-up shots of the actors as wolves, but then, there are close-ups of what look like a dog’s barking mouth and a guy wearing a Bigfoot costume. The acting in the film is nothing special, but in certain scenes, I’ll give them credit for attempting to at least give it their all.
The DVD is bare bones but does have a few trailers for other Lion’s Gate releases. The film is presented in Widescreen and English 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio with optional Spanish subtitles.
With most independent horror features, I find myself turning them off within fifteen minutes. If it cannot hold my attention, I want nothing to do with it. With this film, I was intrigued and made it all the way through. Its bad effects and adequate acting kept me watching, and I came out of this one kind of liking and hating it at the same time. Therefore, I need to give the film credit for actually getting my stubborn ass to sit though the whole thing. That, in itself, is an accomplishment. As for who might enjoy this one, it is a crap shoot. If you are into low budget horror films, you’ll probably like this one. Just do not take it too seriously.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
