David Hayter wrote the first two X-men movies, the second considered one of the best early crop of superhero flicks. Lucas Till starred as Havok in X-men: First Class and X-men: Days of Future Past. So it's no surprise that when the two got together for Hayter's directorial debut, Wolves, the result is something that resembles a superhero-style origin story, only one that involves big, hairy, scary werewolves and some True Blood-style lunacy.
While the effects are a little on the cheap side, it adds to the sexy, crazy B-movie vibe. Till plays Caden, the All-American high school kid; star quarterback with the hot girlfriend and all. But then he starts undergoing some weird changes that have nothing to do with adolescence. Of course we know what's going on; he's changing into a werewolf, and after a couple of violent outbursts lead to the deaths of people he loves, Cayden hightails it out of town. After encountering a one-eyed ruffian who shares his lycanthropic traits, Cayden winds up in the mysterious town of Lupine Ridge, which has earned its name for reasons that are obvious to everyone but our hero.
The fur starts to fly when the needlessly convoluted plot begins to focus on Cayden's true origins. The family he thought he knew was obviously a lie, and it turns out his bloodline extends to some of Lupine Ridge's most foul members of society. One of those is the rough 'n rugged Connor, the meanest, nastiest wolf in town who commands a veritable army of redneck wolves of lesser strength and wits. Soon Caleb is defending the good wolves (and one human woman who loves hairy guys) of Lupine Ridge from Connor, who wants to keep the bloodline pure by any means necessary. Sounds a little bit like Magneto, but on a smaller scale, doesn't it?Hayter is good at this stuff, mixing the absurd with feral cruelty in equal proportions. Momoa looms large as Connor, an alpha dog vicious enough to literally sick his pack of wolves on a friend then roast him for dinner, cackling with maniacal glee the entire time. Till, who was perfect for the bland as toast Havok (he's like that in the comics, too), shows a bit more fire as Cayden, but he's overshadowed by Momoa's presence. Wolves is silly, campy fun (with lots of hot werewolf sex!), but it's smart enough to try and not be anything more than that. It's a film with bite, and thankfully there isn't a single vampire in sight.
Wolves is available now On Demand.
Rating: 3 out of 5
