The Horror Show
Wolfcop
by Lowell Dean
Werewolf movies utilize humor more often than other sub-genres. American Werewolf in London, Ginger Snaps, Werewolf in a Women’s Prison; the list goes on and on. One thing is clear: werewolf movies are fun and they know it.
Wolfcop is the latest installment of this proud, furry tradition. It follows Sheriff Lou (Leo Fafard). To say that he isn't the most dedicated cop would be an understatement. His biggest love in life is alcohol, which he chugs down while cruising in his cop car, working at his desk, or ignoring crime. His boss is fed up with him, but keeps him around because of the impressive man his father apparently was.
One day, Lou has to bite the bullet and actually do some investigating in the woods, which leads to him being incapacitated by a group of masked individuals. He awakes to find strange things going on with himself and soon finds that when the moon is in the right phase, he is in for some very surprising changes. With the help of Willy (Jonathan Cherry), he sets out to fight crime and learn the limitations of his new state.
There are a lot of twists and turns in the film. I won't go into all of them because it would spoil much of the movie. But I will say that the film never got boring for me and there was always something to be entertained by. It moves at a steady pace and keeps things fun, involving various storylines without getting too convoluted.
Unlike most films of a similar theme, Wolfcop doesn't deal so much with the character trying to learn the origins of his situation or how to reverse it. Lou simply accepts that he is a werewolf and goes about utilizing the power. The humor is spot-on more times than not and keeps the major elements that much more fun to watch.
Everyone gives a great performance within their respective roles. By far my favorite character is Willy. Jonathan Cherry does a fantastic job nailing his dialogue, serving as the primary comedic character. The scenes with him and Lou working together are easily the best parts of the movie. I would have liked to see this element utilized more. The concept of a werewolf cop and his wacky friend fighting crime together was the concept I enjoyed the most and it quickly moves on from that right after introducing it. It's forgivable, however, because the following movie is still entertaining and everything ends up making a neat little movie.
The transformation effects are solid and don't seem to rely on cheap-looking modern CGI, as I know would have been tempting. Unlike most werewolf films, Lou remains in control once he is a wolf. He can't control when it happens, but it doesn't take over like the Hulk either. It's an interesting concept that they could have utilized more, but his awareness plays plenty a role. There isn't a ton of gore, but a few splatter moments that are as funny as they are satisfying.
I won't give away anything about the ending other than saying that things get pretty crazy and it is insinuated that we will be seeing more Wolfcop movies in the future. Perhaps this one serves primarily as an origin story of sorts. I will definitely keep my eye out for any further installments because I am truly interested in seeing more.
All in all, Wolfcop is a fun, successful film. It's not necessarily something that I would run out and tell people “Oh my God, you have to see this!” but it is one that I would recommend rather than advise against seeing. It's a short film that has a lot of thrilling moments and more than enough to keep one entertained throughout.
I'm glad I saw Wolfcop and I'm looking forward to seeing more in the future. There's a lot that can be done with the concept. So we'll just have to wait and see what comes out of it. Who knows, maybe the Wolfcop character can meet Firefighter Frankenstein, but I'm not making any suggestions…
P.J. Griffin, HMS
The Horror Show Menu.