Unlike their zombie and vampire brethren, werewolves have been underrepresented in horror during recent years. Perhaps that is why when a new lycanthrope movie is announced, creature feature fans are eager for its release. That can certainly be said for the newest film in the subgenre, Werewolves Within, which is based on the 2016 VR game from Red Storm Entertainment and Ubisoft. Directed by Josh Ruben (Scare Me) and written by Mishna Wolff (I’m Down), the film recently made its premiere at Tribeca Film Festival.
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Werewolves Within is set in the small mountainside town of Beaverfield, where tensions are high and the residents are at odds with one another over the proposal of a pipeline. The new guy in town, forest ranger Finn (Sam Richardson, Veep), meets the colorful locals, including a postal worker named Cecily (Milana Vayntrub, This is Us), with whom he forms an instant connection. Very quickly, as a snowstorm traps the townspeople, they discover that someone, or something, is picking them off one by one.
While it is indeed a werewolf film, the true heart of Werewolves Within is the locals. The clashing of strong, over-the-top personalities make for some fun laughs as they air their dirty laundry and throw out sarcastic quips. The cast consists of a highly comedic ensemble, with Sarah Burns (Enlightened) and Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows) stealing the show as Gwen and Joaquim, respectively. It is hard not to fall in love with the main characters and the town of Beaverfield, with Sam Richardson’s good-natured Finn and Milana Vayntrub’s captivating Cecily leading the way.
The small town setting combined with zany antics and a snowy backdrop make Werewolves Within feel like a cozy mystery, albeit a blood-soaked one. The comedy comes first throughout every scene, with most on-screen action happening later in the film. The humor that quickly follows the violence doesn’t take away from the gore or FX, which look fantastic.
Werewolves Within is a lighthearted, hilarious, yet bloody, whodunit, and one that would be perfect to include in a holiday/winter horror film rotation. The film hits theaters on June 25, 2021, and on Digital Rental & VOD on July 2, 2021 via IFC Films.
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