REVIEW: “Wolf Man” (2025)

January 17, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Maybe it’s just me, but lately there seems to have been an influx of werewolf movies. This seems especially true over the past few years. Now here we are we in January and we already have our first one of the year. It’s “Wolf Man”, a Blumhouse reboot of the 1941 Lon Chaney horror classic “The Wolf Man”. This latest iteration is helmed by Leigh Whannell who impressed with 2020’s superb “The Invisible Man”.

Written by Whannell and his wife, Corbett Tuck, “Wolf Man” takes a dark and gory look at a number of themes through the lens of an old-fashioned monster movie. With a struggling family of three as its centerpiece, the story deals with such subjects as family, parenthood, troubled pasts, and clinging to one’s humanity. Interestingly (and somewhat disappointingly), there’s very little in terms of mythology or folklore. More on that in a second.

Christopher Abbott plays Blake Lovell, a writer and stay-at-home dad who lives in New York City with his wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) and their young daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth). Blake and Ginger and very close despite his tendency of being overprotective. But his relationship with Charlotte isn’t as strong. She pours a lot of time into her job as a journalist and not only has it come between her and her husband, but it has also left her feeling disconnected from Ginger.

**Image Courtesy of Universal Pictures**

One day Blake is notified that his estranged father, Grady (Sam Jaeger) has officially been declared dead by the state of Oregon after being missing for a long time. Grady was a survivalist living in an isolated farmhouse deep in the Oregon wilderness. Blake left that life as soon as he was old enough and he hadn’t spoken to his father since. Now his father’s homeplace has fallen to him and he needs to make a trip out west to pack up his dad’s things.

Realizing their need of some family time, Charlotte agrees to go with Blake to Oregon with hopes it will bring her closer to her husband and daughter. But it doesn’t take long for things to go bad. Less than a mile away from his father’s place, Blake swerves to avoid a strange figure standing in the middle of the road, causing him to wreck their moving truck. As they climb out of the wreckage a creature suddenly attacks, clawing Blake across the arm before they’re able to run away into the night.

The family makes it to Blake’s father’s house and lock themselves inside while the creature prowls outside looking for a way in. From there “Wolf Man” turns into a story of survival that takes place over the course of that one harrowing night. As its title suggests, the creature is indeed a ‘wolf-man’ and it quickly becomes obvious that Blake is infected with whatever animal-borne disease it is carrying. His symptoms start light but quickly turn more grotesque as he begins to change right before his frightened family’s eyes.

The movie chronicles the family’s fight to survive the night, not only from the creature outside the house but also the one within. Though not as metaphorically rich as “The Invisible Man”, there is still plenty of symbolism in the material. The rest is just good old genre fun. The baked-in tension is accompanied by a healthy amount of gore which fits well with the creature’s ravenous brutality. And then there’s Blake’s painful transformation which is captured practically through the prosthetics and makeup wizardry of effects designer Arjen Tuiten.

Again there’s no traditional Wolf Man mythology to speak of. There is no full moon, no silver bullets, no fur-covered body. In fact there’s not much information at all outside of some brief and scant opening script. The film’s infection angle has its benefits but it can also seem like a shortcut which (for better or worse) allows Whannell to focus on other things. Overall it works, but it would have been nice to have a little more background into something so primally and terrifyingly transformative.

As is often the case with so many movies like this, not all of the character choices make sense. In “Wolf Man” some are downright baffling. Yet we still find ourselves invested in this family’s plight, partly due to Whannell never letting us lose sight of their familial bond. It’s also aided by great performances from Abbott, Garner, and Firth. And though most of it takes place in the dark of night, we still get some stunning Oregon scenery that helps creates an isolated setting that’s both beautiful and forbidding.

As it is, “Wolf Man” doesn’t break the mold but it doesn’t exactly embrace it either. It lands somewhere in between, working best as pure genre entertainment with a few compelling themes on its mind. It’s not a movie that will stick in your memory. But it’s well made and noticeably better than the slew of recent werewolf movies that have come our way. “Wolf Man” is now showing exclusively in theaters.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Wish You Were Here” (2025)

January 16, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Julia Stiles makes her directorial debut with “Wish You Were Here” – a sweet, earnest, but sadly formulaic romantic drama that has its heart in the right place but hinges on a few too many tired clichés to get by. Yet while its story is all too familiar, it does offer Stiles the opportunity to show what she can do behind the camera. And it gives the talented Isabelle Fuhrman another noteworthy lead role outside of her entertaining Orphan films.

“Wish You Were Here” is an adaptation of a 2017 novel of the same name written by Renée Carlino. It’s penned for the screen by Stiles and Carlino and stars Fuhrman who worked with Stiles on “Orphan: First Kill”. Their real-life connections show themselves in the film’s strengths, namely in the story’s lead character (played by Fuhrman) who is easily the movie’s most compelling piece. If only the other characters weren’t so thinly sketched.

The story follows a pretty standard blueprint that will be recognizable to anyone who has ever watched a romance turned weepie. Fuhrman plays a young woman named Charlotte who at 29-years-old has found herself in a rut. She works a go-nowhere job at a Mexican restaurant and after several bad experiences (and despite her family’s best efforts to hook her up) she has lost all interest in dating.

But that changes following her chance meet-cute with a street artist named Adam (Mena Massoud). The two have some drinks, paint a mural together, and impulsively go to his place for a romantic nightcap. The next morning a smitten Charlotte wakes up to find Adam cold and adrift. He promptly reminds Charlotte that they’re not a couple which instantly turns her warm feelings to dejection.

Months pass and Charlotte can’t get Adam out of her mind. That’s when she gets a unexpected visit from Adam’s friend and neighbor Stacy (Jane Stiles) who delivers a letter he wrote following their night together that explains why he was so quick to let her go. The heartfelt letter reveals that he had a brain tumor and is now in the hospital with terminal cancer. Charlotte goes to him leading to a rekindling of their relationship which takes on a tender but heartbreaking new form.

Interestingly, Charlotte and Adam don’t spend as much screentime together as you might think. Their relationship bookends what is Charlotte’s struggle to find her place in the world. As she does, a number of underdeveloped side characters pop in and out of her story including her flighty best friend Helen (Gabby Kono-Abdy), her straight-shooting mother (Jennifer Grey) and empathetic father (Kelsey Grammer), and the sweet guy waiting in the wings, Seth (thanklessly played by Jimmie Fails).

Sadly, none of the supporting roles carry much weight. Even Adam sometimes come across as a stereotype rather than a fleshed-out person. And the story itself follows the same path as so many others before it. It even gets a little absurd later on. Take when a weakened Adam is barely able to utter a sentence and then moments later is slipping out of the hospital with Charlotte for a playful afternoon on the beach.

But even with its flaws, “Wish You Were Here” remains interesting thanks to Fuhrman’s emotionally layered and authentic performance. And it’s clear that Stiles has a career in the director’s chair. She especially impresses with the camera, using it in a number of sumptuous ways, from intimate closeups to subtle arc shots. It may not be enough to carry this particular movie, but it does excite us for what she’ll do in the future. “Wish You Were Here” opens January 17th.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

First Glance: “The Alto Knights”

January 15, 2025 by Keith Garlington

As someone fascinated with the rise and fall of the America Mafia, the new film “The Alto Knights” immediately grabbed my attention. This biographical crime drama is directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson (“The Natural”, “Rain Man”) and written by Nicholas Pileggi (“Goodfellas”). And to top it all off it features Robert De Niro in a dual role playing mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. While that was all I needed to be excited, seeing the first trailer has me even more hyped.

Set in the 1950s, “The Alto Knights” follows the complex relationship between Italian-American mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. It centers on their close friendship as well as the eventual tension that leads to an unsuccessful assassination attempt and a dramatic reshaping of the American Mafia. This is fascinating and fertile material and Warner Bros. look to have all the right people in place to explore it.

“The Alto Knights” releases in theaters on March 21st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “Night Call” (2025)

January 15, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Director Michiel Blanchart’s “Night Call” is a French and Belgian action thriller that manages to endure its own broad-brush messaging to deliver a tense and taut 97-minute experience that will have you glued to your screen. The bulk of the film happens over the course of one fateful night in Brussels and takes a young man on a personal journey that will undoubtedly change his life forever.

Jonathan Feltre plays Mady Bala, a 24/7 locksmith and part-time college student who travels around the city at night taking calls from anyone in need of his services. One such call comes from a young lady named Claire (Natacha Krief) who has locked herself out of her apartment. Mady arrives at the address and is greeted by Claire who ushers him into her building. From there Mady trustingly makes two ill-advised concessions that have serious repercussions.

Mady’s policy is cash up front along with a form of identification. But he’s quick to toss it aside after Claire informs him that her purse is locked inside her apartment. Somehow swept by her charm, our easily duped protagonist agrees to help, only to find himself alone in the apartment while she runs downstairs to the ATM.

Of course Claire doesn’t come back and after a few minutes Mady finally realizes he’s been hoodwinked. But it gets worse with the arrival of the apartment’s real tenant – a neo-Nazi who flies into a rage after seeing a young minority in his place. The man immediately and brutally attacks, and following a violent scrum Mady kills the man in self-defense.

The story is set to the backdrop of escalating protests across the city following the death of a young black man at the hands of the police. That’s certainly rich ground to explore. But here it feels like a convenience that provides Mady with a reason to not call the cops. I don’t doubt that Blanchart and co-writer Gilles Marchand have good intentions. But for much of the movie this racial tension is more of a plot device than something being examined.

Despite that Blanchart deserves credit for keeping his high-energy story moving forward. Things really kick into gear with the introduction of a gangster named Yannick (Romain Duris). We learn the man Mady killed was keeping a stash of cash that belonged to Yannick. All Yannick knows is that the money is gone, the man is dead, and Mady is somehow connected. So he has his henchman pick up Mady and makes him a deal – find the girl and return his money by morning or he’ll be the one to pay.

From there the intensity steadily builds in large part thanks to the film’s crisp pacing, bursts of gritty action, and Feltre’s committed performance. Yet so much of the story demands at least some suspension of disbelief. There are simply too many coincidences and conveniences. And while the journey has enough zest to keep us entertained, it limps across the finish line with an on-the-nose ending that lazily reveals the movie’s biggest villain. It’s one of several missteps that holds this otherwise propulsive movie back. “Night Call” releases in select theaters January 17th.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Prosecutor” (2025)

January 14, 2025 by Keith Garlington

The renowned Donnie Yen directs, co-produces, and stars in “The Prosecutor” – the 80th film from the 61-year-old legend of Hong Kong action cinema. Of course fans know that Yen has frequently crossed over to the United States, starring in such movies as “Blade II”, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”, and most recently “John Wick: Chapter 4”. Yet in many ways “The Prosecutor” sees Yen at home in his comfort zone, adding another sturdy action-thriller to his impressive résumé.

“The Prosecutor” sprinkles in ingredients from an assortment of genres. It’s as much a legal thriller as it is a crime thriller. It has a healthy amount of courtroom drama while also featuring the signature action scenes that have been highlights of Yen’s remarkable 40-plus year career. At the same time, the movie takes a critical look at such weighty subjects as class, corruption, and the justice system to go along with its impressive visual panache.

Reteaming with screenwriter Edmond Wong from the “IP Man” quadrilogy, “The Prosecutor” takes its inspiration from a true case. Yen plays Fok Chi-ho, a police officer transferred from the force after a case goes bad. He’s assigned to the Department of Justice where he’s to serve as a prosecutor under the leadership of the seasoned Bao Ding (Kent Cheng).

Fok’s first case involves a young man named Ma Ka-Kit (Fung Ho Yeung Mason) who is accused of drug trafficking after unknowingly lending his address to a local syndicate that uses parcels to import cocaine and contraband. Fok suspects the young man was manipulated and doesn’t deserve to be prosecuted. But Kit’s defense attorneys, Au Pak Man (Julian Cheung Chi Yu) and Lee Sze-Man (Shirley Chan) convince their client to plead guilty, assuring him it will result in a reduced sentence and barely any jail time.

But it quickly becomes evident that Kit’s attorneys aren’t giving him a fair shake. That prompts Fok to begin his own investigation which puts him at odds with both the defense and his own team of prosecutors. Even more, after the syndicate’s involvement becomes clear, Fok has to fall back on his old police training after both he and Kit become the gang’s chief targets.

While the story employs a few common courtroom tropes, the script is smart enough to keep us engaged. And it’s helped by the performances from Yen and the really strong supporting cast. We get lots of legal wrangling and verbal jostling both in the courtroom and behind the scenes as Fok’s colleagues push for him to forget his righteous crusade and fall in line with the system. It all adds several nice layers to the drama.

And of course there’s the action. While maybe not as plentiful as in many other films from Yen’s catalog, “The Prosecutor” still treats us to the some lights-out action scenes, from the blistering warehouse shootout to open the film to a ferocious subway fight sequence near the end. All are thrillingly choreographed and sharp reminders that even in his sixties Donnie Yen remains a star of the genre. And it’s that star-power that drives “The Prosecutor”, even when it tries to juggle a little too much.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” (2025)

January 13, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Writer-director Christian Gudegast made his directorial debut back in 2018 with “Den of Thieves”, a crime thriller and heist film that sat in various stages of development for nearly 15 years. It was a suspenseful and action-packed feature that was far better than the reception it received from critics and even at the box office. Now seven years later, Gudegast is finally back for his sophomore effort, “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera”.

The first “Den of Thieves” left its story in an interesting spot and it certainly opened the door for a sequel. “Pantera” brings back the previous film’s two central characters and once again makes them the centerpiece. Gerard Butler reprises his role as the gritty and worn LAPD detective Nicholas “Big Nick” O’Brien. And O’Shea Jackson Jr. returns as Donnie Wilson, a once small-time criminal turned big-time thief after escaping to Europe with $30 million.

“Pantera” kicks off with the two characters in much different places. Donnie is living large in Europe but he hasn’t left behind the thrill of the heist. The film opens with him and his crew pulling off a daring job in Antwerp, Belgium, swiping diamonds for a broker named Jovanna (Evin Ahmad). Back in Los Angeles, Nick is fresh off a painful divorce and is still licking his wounds after being duped by Donnie. Nick is determined to track him down but the embarrassed police department would rather put it all behind them.

But Nick’s luck changes after he gets a tip that Donnie’s money is being moved to and from a bank in Panama. The cash trail leads him to Nice, France where Donnie and Jovanna have their sights set on an $850 million score in the highly secured World Diamond Center. The pair put together a crack team of fellow thieves and begin constructing a plan to infiltrate the heavily guarded diamond exchange and break into its impenetrable state-of-the-art vault.

Now here comes the swerve. After landing in Nice and paying a visit to the local police station for some intel, Nick tracks down Donnie and surprises him with a visit. But rather than arrest him, the disheveled and frustrated Nick tells Donnie he wants in on the job. And just like that Donnie finds himself right back in the middle of the game. But this time the stakes are even higher, especially after Donnie learns the diamonds he stole belonged to the Sicilian mafia.

From there Gudegast patiently yet meticulously maneuvers us through the surprisingly rich story. This time there are several more players besides our team of thieves. The cops, the mafia, even some angry ex-crew members, all have roles to play. Interestingly, the action takes a backseat this time around, with more time put into the various character dynamics especially between Nick and Donnie. Butler and Jackson Jr. play off each other well and they’re more equals this time around.

But of course everything is ultimately building towards the big heist which Gudegast lets play out at a tense real-time pace. He not only builds suspense but he’s able to sustain it through most of his film’s nail-biting final act. It’s capped off with an action-fueled payoff along with a couple of unexpected twists that leave the door cracked for a third film if this one does good numbers. And hopefully we won’t have to wait another seven years for it to come.

“Den of Thieves 2” comes across as more polished than its predecessor, yet it maintains some of the same grit that was a big part of the first film. This time we’re treated to a number of beautiful European vistas and it has a slightly lighter tone. There are a few times where we can feel its length. And it’s not always easy to understand what our thieves are doing, especially amid the big heist. But “Pantera” still makes for a worthwhile sequel and a solid expansion in what has become a genuinely exciting film series.