Director: Ben Etchells
Year: 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Werewolf
Plot:
Trying to make ends meet, a scientist trying to conjure a cure for baldness finds success with a bizarre formula and begins to use the formula to his advantage, but when he discovers the lycanthropic side-effects of his creation tries to keep those he harmed from seeking revenge.
Review:
This was an intriguing if somewhat flawed genre effort. One of the things this one gets right is the highly original and somewhat creative means of integrating a new concept into a werewolf genre effort. Rather than go for the more traditional route of tying everything together with an encounter with the beast and finding themself changing into one due to having survived the situation, this one incorporates the kind of creative touch where it comes about as a means of a chemical poisoning while trying to come up with a cure for baldness. This is handled well enough with the idea of the change coming into pass through a lot of the same techniques usually featured in those other features in the increased confidence, assertiveness, and strength that helps to tie everything together, giving this a nice enough touch.
With this build-up out of the way, there’s a lot to like when it deals with the exploits of his turned self let loose and being much more of a traditional genre effort. The first encounter with the gangsters following the savage beatdown inflicted beforehand is a fun overall sequence throwing them around and offering the kind of brutal bashings that’s quite fun. Later scenes of the creature stalking those in the woodland areas that take advantage of the forested surroundings and unusual design of the werewolf to great effect in the inadvertent triggers to his lycanthropic condition for some decent jokes as well as his unleashed attacks on the criminal seeking revenge for his earlier indiscretions. This is all cathartic enough to be worthwhile and enjoyable enough to have some positive aspects to it.
The film does have some issues that bring it down. The main drawback to be had is the utterly lame and unfunny sense of humor this has where hardly anything that happens here is actually funny. This one tries to paint his down-on-his-luck persona, with the dead-end job, overbearing mother hounding him about everything, the timid demeanor, and propensity to daydream about a girl he likes as the type of gutbusting comedy we’re supposed to cheer endlessly for. Instead, none of this really strikes any chord at all with most of it being rather irritating how often it’s presented here so it all tends to feel tough to get through. As this is a prominent factor throughout the first half with not just the kind of situational but also slapstick physical humor, this part is a bit of a troublesome factor.
As well, the other big issue with this one is the highly obvious low-budget limitations featured throughout here. This is mainly familiar within the kills on display which are rarely shown on screen at all, with the creature usually shown to tackle a victim to the point where they fall just out of camera range before dealing the killing blow. Other times, the kill is obscured by the angle chosen so everything is downplayed to the point of not having anything to showcase. The special effects are right on point with that and rarely feature anything here beyond the goofy look of the creature that’s at least practical but still has a goofy look to everything featured here. This doesn’t become a genuine downfall of the film due to it taking on a personal preference route to everything but it still stands out as a factor here.
Overview: **.5/5
Genuinely fun as an indie werewolf effort but brought down by some big issues, there’s a lot to like here as long as the drawbacks featured here don’t prove to be a complete turnoff. Those who can get past the drawbacks or are fans of the style approached here will have the most to like with this one while those put off by the issues present or aren’t fans of this kind of feature should heed caution.
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