Review Archives

1 | 2 | 3

Today's Date is:

Darkwolf

Here we go again, folks: another horror movie, another piece of, well you know. At least we know why this one didn't even have a chance in theaters. Who would really pay the price of a ticket to see a credible actress like Tippi Hedren prostitute her talent for a paycheck? "Darkwolf" centers around a werewolf who must find his ideal human mate, fornicate with her, and produce an heir. The blue-plate special happens to be Josie (Samaire Armstrong), undergoing the preliminary changes, much to the shock of her boyfriend, Steve (Ryan Alosia), the detective bent on seeking out and destroying the werewolf. ***

Anyone familiar with direct-to-video horror fare need not dwell on things like plot summary, nor will they be unfamiliar with what "Darkwolf" has to offer. Including but not limited to gratuitous nudity, excessive violence and gore, and some of the cheesiest special effects this side of "Jason X," Richard Friedman's ridiculously hammy little borefest treads on the worn path of idiocy in ways that the genre is all too familiar with. The cast is strictly there to fill space, while the plot is tried and true, but never entertaining. "Darkwolf" has an audience, I'm sure; I just wasn't it.

Measured at 1.78:1, the anamorphic image for "Darkwolf" is actually quite good. With the exception of the bad F/X, everything looks in fine shape here: edges are sharp with minimal enhancement halos, while colors are nicely saturated and accurate, and contrast is pleasing with good shadow detail and deep blacks. ***

The sound, mastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, also manages to please. The entire soundfield comes alive during many of the more intense sequences, with surround usage that is remarkably effective. The score is well-recorded for optimum ambiance, and dialogue sounds natural for the most part. Deep bass from the .1 LFE is generally pleasing, if a bit sparse in places.