I’ve always been lured in to lycanthrope movies, perhaps because they generally arc back to a tormented soul, cursed by a torturous, shape-shifting, life-altering event that threatens to rip apart the physical self in order to destroy the last ebbs of humanity.

So, upon hearing that Luxembourger film director, Jacques Molitar was offering up a fresh slice of the werewolf folk story, I was gripped with eager anticipation.

Elaine (Louise Manteau) is a single mother, following the disappearance of the father after a naked romp during the films prologue (typical guy, right?)

Cut to 8 years or so later, and Elaine’s son, Martin, is starting to present some unusual physical and psychological traits that lead him to biting a schoolfriend. Shocked and ashamed, Elaine intends to find out the root cause of this odd behaviour and heads back to the paternal grandparents in search for answers, who I might add are significantly well off, casting an automatic divide that juxtaposes the rough suburban lifestyle that Elaine and Martin have been living.

When she gets there though, there are some curious happenings which raise further questions and family secrets that she may have wished remained buried. Elaine must then decide which path her son should take in order for him to survive in the real world.

The Prognosis:

Whilst Wolfkin does boast some decent practical effects, this is a slowburn story that does little when it tries to finally ignite.

Where Let The Right One In and The Hatching (both movie which it has been likened to in promotions) have depth and tension to fill the void, Wolfkin simmers along with plenty to say but little impact in the way that it’s presented.

Hats off to Molitar for attempting to take an age-old tale into a new direction but it ultimately lacked enough bit to sink your teeth into.

– Saul Muerte

Wolfkin is currently available on DVD and Digital platforms.