Wolf (1994)

Too much of everything

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Wolf starring Jack Nicholson is a good movie and contains some pretty awesome sequences. It is quite visceral, and the pacing is good. Nicholson is his usual and pretty Michelle Pfieffer can also deliver her lines rather well. Mike Nichols takes a detour from the kind of films he usually makes and this one is special for it. This is quite different from An American werewolf in Paris and the likes. I wouldn't call Wolf underrated but it is a rather unseen film and many people haven't even heard of it.

In my opinion this is the best werewolf movie ever made, and I've seen all of them. It is certainly different than the classic-style "horror" films of this genre (my favorite being the Del Toro / Hopkins / Blunt film - the revised version without the awful Shakespeare segment). In contrast, Wolf has some serious character development, an intelligent story with interesting twists, great acting and directing, and is perfectly cast. Frankly, I cannot imagine a better selection than Nicholson, even if Nichols had the choice of any other Hollywood star in the century. Spader is a naturally creepy antagonist who is easy to fear and hate, and Pfeiffer is as good a choice for her role as Nicholson is for his role - intense, powerful, and with a sense of danger.I watch a ton of movies and own around 1,500 of them, and I rarely give top ratings for anything but Wolf is in a class by itself. Of all the films I've ever seen, I definitely put this film among the top fifty. Others may prefer the classic-style werewolf films but for me, an intelligent well-told story definitely trumps the tired old gothic classics, and Wolf is the most intelligent and best told werewolf film I have ever seen. I'll certainly miss Mike Nicols. It would have been nice to see another film or two of his in this genre.

Jack Nicholson plays a middle-aged book publisher, bitten by a wolf during the full moon, who undergoes a physical and psychological transformation just as his life seems to be falling apart around him. A different kind of werewolf movie but an interesting one. Nicholson does a good job, despite being somewhat miscast for the role of a nebbish. Once the transformation begins and this man starts to show his newfound wolf side, it's a role right up Jack's alley. James Spader is a treat as the sleazy villain. Michelle Pfeiffer looks as pretty as ever and has decent chemistry with the much-older Nicholson. The script is clever and fun. Rick Baker's low-key makeup won't please many horror fans but I think it was perfectly suited for this type of film. Really this isn't the kind of werewolf movie for the average horror fan who wants strong visuals and lots of violent action. It's not scary, either, in case that wasn't obvious. It's a werewolf movie for people who want something outside of the ordinary.I really liked this one and I gotta say I didn't expect to when I first saw it years ago. I'm not a big Mike Nichols fan. The kinds of films he made are not the kinds of films I tend to enjoy. I'm not saying they are bad films or that he was not a talented director. He made some classics that I did like to watch, although the idea of rewatching any of them is not particularly appealing to me. So, take my opinion on Nichols into account when I say that this is my favorite Mike Nichols movie. No, I'm not saying this is a better film than "The Graduate" or "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" or anything crazy like that. But I enjoy watching this movie more than any of his relationship dramas. The interesting thing is that, underneath the supernatural elements, this is a story about a man's mid-life crisis. That's exactly the sort of movie you expect Nichols to make, only this time the story is told in a less prosaic way by making it a werewolf movie with the subtext and dark humor that comes along with that.

Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Spader, Kate Nelligan and Christopher Plummer star in this 1994 horror film. Nicholson (The Shining) plays Will Randall, an editor who soon gets bit by a werewolf. After his senses improve, he learns he's inherited the mark of the beast. Pfeiffer (The Witches of Eastwick) plays Laura Alden, a young woman he not only finds romance with, but turns out to be the daughter of his boss, Raymond (Plummer). Spader (Pretty in Pink) plays Will's co-worker, Stuart Swinton who competes with him for a higher position and Nelligan (Dracula) plays Will's wife, Charlotte who has an affair with Stuart. I've always liked this film and think it's underrated. Jack and Michelle are great in this and have good chemistry, Ennio Morricone's score is great as usual as well as Rick Baker's make-up effects. I recommend this.