Film adaptations of video games have been notoriously hard to pull off. Much of the focus for these types of films have been on satisfying the gamer fan base and making them as much like their source material as possible. But a new little indie film may show that the pathway for successful adaptations is focusing on hitting the cinematic elements as much as possible rather than the gaming ones.
Werewolves Within takes to Beaverfield, a small mountain town where new forest ranger Finn Wheeler (Sam Richardson) has ridden into town for his new post. He’s soon introduced to Cecily Moore (Milana Vayntrub), the town postal worker who shows him the ropes and fills him in on all the town gossip and local characters from the out there couples Marcus (George Basil) & Gwen (Sarah Burns) and Trisha (Michaela Watkins) & Pete Anderten (Michael Chernus), the well off couple Devon (Cheyenne Jackson) & Joaquim Wolfson (Harvey Guillen) to the loner hunter Emerson (Glenn Fleshler) to Beaverfield Inn owner and widow Jeanine Sherman (Catherine Curtin). Also in town are Sam Parker (Wayne Duvall) and Dr. Ellis (Rebecca Henderson) who represent opposite sides of the great local debate on whether or not to build an oil pipeline through the pristine landscape, which is turning everyone against each other. Amidst the chaos, a mysterious killer makes its presence known and Finn and Cecily are soon tasked with finding out who, or what, lurks among them.
There are many things that make Werewolves Within an enjoyable watch, but chief among them is the tight, well written script penned by Mishna Wolff. All the pieces matter and no ends within the story are left loose as director Josh Ruben paces the film well during its hour and a half runtime. The whodunit mystery at the heart of its plot is very well executed in how engrossing it is in its suspense. Each of the characters we meet at The Beaverfield Inn are presented to us as plausible suspects with valid reasons for falling under suspicion as the spotlight falls on each, keeping the audience guessing and therefore invested. And ultimately, it’s the suspicion that the town has for each other that serves as the metaphorical werewolf for much of the film, as they accuse each other and point their fingers, an environment that the killer, we later learn when they are finally revealed, has used to their advantage. This all culminates in a chaotic third act that pays off satisfyingly well and is as crazy as the overall premise of the film itself.
Coming in right behind its absorbing mystery plot, the palpable chemistry between Sam Richardson and Milana Vayntrub stands out as one of the key elements that powers the film. Nearly from its onset, Richardson and Vayntrub play off of each other perfectly providing the comedic flair and a romantic subplot that both invests you in the characters and their fates, but provides much of Finn’s character arc. Both display a charm and quality skill as actors that allow them to succeed as the film’s driving performers. The entire cast for that matter works well together and gets opportunities to show off their wit and comedic chops, working well together and giving each character a unique feel despite how archetypical each can feel.
Werewolves Within is an enjoyable film that melds mystery and comedy well and still packs a decent punch despite its indie budget. Mishna Wolff crafts a good script that melds multiple subplots well with the larger overall narrative while Sam Richardson and Milana Vayntrub are charming together as the film’s main actors. Director Josh Ruben is able to balance the tone and style of the mystery, comedy, and horror genres simultaneously and maintain the best parts of each within a single film as well as coaxing performances from his actors that display their skill for portraying all of these elements in a single character. Fans of other mystery films such as Clue and Knives Out should have fun with this one as well.
Image: IFC Films
