Werewolves Within (2021) Review

Forest ranger Finn Wheeler (Sam Richardson) arrives in the sleepy town of Beaverfield only to find that under its drowsy exterior, various resentments are simmering amongst its residents. Matters are not helped by a proposed gas pipeline which will bring potential prosperity to some, potential environmental disaster to others and it’s up to Finn to investigate the project and to try to keep the peace.

Pretty soon, he’s deep into an investigation of a different kind as he discovers the townsfolk have recently fallen prey to a vicious attacker, reputed to a be a werewolf. With the communications down and an avalanche blocking the only road in or out, a group of Beaverfield’s finest finds themselves holed up in the town hotel, wondering just who among their number could be the bloodthirsty lycanthrope. And just what is the deal with the weirdo living out in the woods?

Very loosely adapted from the video game of the same name and with a smart script by – I’m not making this up – Mischa Wolff, Werewolves Within is a consistently enjoyable crossbreed of Knives Out and The Beast Must Die, albeit without Daniel Craig’s overripe accent or the opportunity for the viewer to mull over their detective work courtesy of a “Werewolf Break”.

Comedy horror is a difficult mix of genres to carry off successfully at the best of times and throwing a mystery into the mix would suggest a high probability of the filmmakers biting off more than they can chew but the differing elements come together in an extremely entertaining manner as the unrelentingly affable Richardson attempts to negotiate all of the pitfalls attached to status as the town newbie, aided by perky postal worker Cecily (Milana Wayntrub).

The story leans more into the chucklesome capacity of its premise but its frequent switches to horror are well judged and the bloody moments manage to be both fun and gross at the same time. You may not be cowering behind the sofa but the production has an obvious respect for the genre which means it knows exactly when to play it straight enough to earn its chills.

In classic whodunit style, a group of characters is thrown together, no one knows who to trust, everyone’s a suspect, you know the drill. It’s in the middle section that the story is allowed to breathe and the cast is given the space to amp up the chuckles and display their comedic chops, as this disparate bunch finds they have even less common ground than they’d expected and are given carte blanche to bicker and accuse, all under the increasingly weary and indeed wary eye of kindly but no-nonsense hotelier Janine (Catherine Curtin).

Harvey Guillén (excellent in the What We Do In The Shadows TV series) and Cheyenne Jackson (also with immediate genre cred from four season of American Horror Story) are particularly amusing as gay hipster couple Joaquim and Devon Wolfson, rich from their tech enterprises and clearly trying the patience of the more traditional Beaverfield types, some of whom like to fix pickups and fire guns, some of whom are still hung up on a certain previous Presidential candidate’s e-mails.

The suspects are archetypes, for sure, but no more than your average Agatha Christie tale and, although the back and forth between these polar opposites might not always mine the situation for the comedy gold that could be expected, watching all of these people argue with each other is just such unmitigated fun that it’s something of a shame when they start getting picked off.

When they do start getting picked off, it’s in a slightly unexpected way and the gradual whittling down of the players you’d expect across the piece is ditched in favour of a final act in which both the plot and Beaverfield’s dwellers go off the rails. Ron Burgundy would certainly appreciate the way this escalates quickly.

As for the mystery, it may not provide the sheer volume of twists and turns for those who live and breathe crime fiction but for the rest of us there are enough clues and red herrings dropped along the way to make for a decent little puzzler which rewards those who’ve been paying attention. The finale does allow Finn the chance to cast off his somewhat deferential persona and give him a shot at becoming the hero but even this is played out within the specific terms of the character and his attempts to kick ass are amusingly clumsy.

Werewolves Within is ideally suited to an audience who enjoys the snicker/shriek balance of something like Shaun Of The Dead, playing its material for the most laughs possible but landing its flashes of horror with an impact that seems all the greater considering how amusing the tale has been just seconds before.

Director Josh Ruben draws fine performances across the board and the obvious comic timing of the entire cast shines through, with Sam Richardson and Milana Vayntrub perfect in the lead roles. Finn is one of the less showy roles here but Richardson manages to take Finn’s unfailing politeness and unwillingness to cause a scene and spin it into a performance which elicits smiles and empathy rather than causing annoyance.

Vayntrub is delightful, making Cecily a memorable character that you can’t help but love, whether she’s dancing along to the Ace Of Base hit The Sign, giving Finn a mirthful yet harsh lesson in which of the townsfolk he should probably avoid or rolling her eyes at the increasingly unhinged behaviour of her neighbours as they attempt to come to terms with the werewolf menace. It’s a portrayal which skilfully avoids all of those movie dream girl clichés and provides a pleasing counterpoint to Finn’s moping about the girl he left behind (and who’s almost certainly moved on already).

The comedy works, the horror works, the mystery works. If you fancy laughs of both the conventional and the nervous variety, spiced up with a number of bloody kills, check into Janine’s place and find out if you have an aptitude for spotting the werewolf in the pack. The clues are there

Signature Entertainment presents Werewolves Within on Digital Platforms and DVD from 19th July

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