Werewolves Within (2021 | United States | 97 minutes | Josh Ruben)
A film with an abundance of heart that wears its charm on its sleeve, it is hard to imagine a more joyous horror-comedy than Werewolves Within. Loosely based on the videogame of the same name, which itself is based on the party game where players take on the roles of townspeople versus werewolves, the film is both darkly funny and a genuinely engaging horror whodunit.
The story is set in the only place it could be: a small town where a snowstorm has trapped the residents in a local inn as a mysterious beast is thought to be roaming the woods. The town is Beaverton and the beast is a werewolf, leaving everyone at each other’s throats about who may be the monster in their midst. It is also the best work in the hyper-specific category of ‘horror-comedy films about a werewolf attacking a small town where an authority figure will have to piece together who is responsible’ I have seen since last year’s The Wolf of Snow Hollow.
The only ones who seem to have a grasp on the situation are a dynamic duo of newcomers: the snowshoe loving, well-intentioned forest ranger Finn Wheeler (Sam Richardson) and the snarky, seemingly sweet mailperson Cecily Moore (Milana Vayntrub). Before getting too into it, the hands down best part of the film is how both Richardson and Vayntrub give absolutely outstanding performances. Their comedic timing is impeccable, their delivery unparalleled, with almost every single joke they utter landing perfectly. It is their work that demonstrates how the value of great comedic performances like these deserve far more praise. Both also breathe life into the film’s more intense moments while still tackling each scene with just the right amount of humor delivered with their tongue firmly in cheek.
This is director Josh Ruben’s second foray into horror following his debut film Scare Me. What separates Werewolves Within is that he not only didn’t write it, but the noticeable increase in scope allows for a more dynamic story. Whether this is due to a bigger budget, a more ambitious script, or both, Ruben still proves to be a solid director who makes the most of the confined interior spaces to instill the entire film with a feeling of dread. Yes, it often feels more like a comedy than a straight horror film though that doesn’t mean the scary moments aren’t well executed.
The primary credit must go to writer Mishna Wolff, whose name is a wonderful coincidence, for crafting a razor sharp script that remarkably is her feature length debut. Every moment of the story crackles from the give and take between the film’s leads to the gloriously over-the-top personalities of the rest of the townspeople. Most crucially, every single character has a distinct voice and moment where it seems like they could be the monster. By credibly establishing every single person as the potential werewolf, the film effectively replicates the feeling of having to guess for yourself who could be the source of evil when it could be coming from any direction. It is tense while also being delightfully fun.
The film creates an edge by building real differences that go beyond mere personal squabbles into deeper ideological differences. References sprinkled throughout hint at the often conservative nature of small towns such as paranoid speculation that the boogeyman of “Antifa” is coming to kill them. There is also a greed-infused push for a pipeline to be constructed through the town that becomes increasingly more important. While it doesn’t go much deeper than that, as it is a monster movie first and foremost, the added moments of social division give the film something resembling more authentic stakes even amidst the supernatural elements.
The reason this all works is that the film is precise about navigating its tone. It is brimming with cheesy moments that still are oddly sweet and give you something to connect to. Finn’s motivating force is that he is inspired by the words of Mr. Rogers, whose quote about “listening to ourselves and then our neighbors” is shown in the opening of the film. Finn has taken hold of that idea of being a good neighbor and turned it into his life philosophy. He even tries to stop himself from swearing amidst the chaos, saying “effing” as opposed to other choice words. It is his prevailing kindness that becomes a guiding force as he tries to get a town of people that are on the brink of turning against each other to instead be good neighbors. When it becomes increasingly clear that making peace is going to be an impossibility, it is both wonderfully silly to see Finn still futilely try to unite people while also being deeply sad that he can’t save them from their own internal disputes.
Finn’s past is not without troubles. Over the course of the story, the film reveals how he came to be reassigned and shows the strain that the new location added to an already rocky relationship of his past. Never fear though, Finn soon forgets about that when he forms an ongoing flirtation with Cecily that he subsequently also frequently makes a mess of. It is corny as hell with an early scene in a bar called The Axe Den approaching near rom-com levels. This is not a bad thing by any means as it actually works rather well in making for interesting conflict and sets up a reveal later in the film.
To divulge any more details would provide far too much of a tip off and spoil the fun. Even when the film seems to be stalling and moving towards an underwhelming reveal, it flips these moments on their heads by summarily acknowledging how lackluster of an answer they would be. It keeps you on your toes and guessing about which of the many characters amongst the eccentric cast could be responsible. If there was any disappointment, it is that no vampires make an appearance as I had hoped against hope that they would with Harvey Guillén of the television series What We Do in the Shadows in the cast. However, not every film can be perfect, so I forgive the film for this missed opportunity.
Beyond all else, it has been a long time since I saw a film that upon completing it I not only wanted to watch it again but also watch it with other people. The term “crowd pleaser” is a term used to describe film in a way that I absolutely despise as it flattens down stories into buzzwords. Instead, the best way to describe Werewolves Within is as Finn would: really effing great.
Werewolves Within is in theaters June 25 and on demand via IFC starting July 2.