Early reviews of WOLF MAN denounced the lack of scares and the disappointing creature design; Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed

The moment we got a glimpse of WolfmanThe titular monster at last year’s Universal Halloween Horror Nights, it was clear that Blumhouse’s take on the iconic character would be divisive.

In terms of creature design, it’s not what fans expected and certainly not what the majority wanted. Alas, it now appears that this is at least one of the contributing factors to filmmaker Leigh Whannell’s vision for the franchise being too light on scares in a reboot that lacks bite.

The review embargo was lifted today and while some critics enjoyed this new take on the most iconic of all werewolves, most agree that Wolf Man is far from the edge-of-your-seat horror film which Whannell delivered with The invisible man in 2020.

According to Variety, “’Wolf Man’ means something – about the fear of inheriting our parents’ aggression or mental illness, perhaps – but ends up making him pathetic in the process.” The Hollywood Reporter, for its part, recognizes that “Even with a few missteps and disappointing dialogue, the tension generally remains high.”

The Wrap had a better time with the film, noting: “Leigh Whannell knows what makes werewolves tick, even if it’s not necessarily what makes them great to watch, and ‘Wolf Man’ is (mostly) better for it.”

Unfortunately, The Guardian did not. “Leigh Whannell’s unfocused sequel to The Invisible Man is a screaming disappointment, poorly judged and boring”, reads the 2* review. The Independent says Wolfman East “much too tame to be scary” and adds, “Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner star in a film that seems muddled and confusing – in the end all you can ask is ‘huh?’”

Empire concludes, “It doesn’t quite mesh the underlying themes with its hairy horror surface, but Wolf Man delivers strong performances, creepy body changes, and some extremely frightening sequences.” Total Film gives it the highest rating of all media with 4*. “Leigh Whannell has done it again, bringing her talents back to the world of Universal Monsters with an update worthy of another horror icon,” the site promises.

IGN’s 6/10 verdict states: “Leigh Whannell’s Wolf Man offers impressive filmmaking and fresh takes on the hows and whys of a classic Universal monster, but its story lacks bite.” Finally, The Daily Beast believes that the film “will leave the audience screaming with boredom.”

Following these examinations, Wolfman currently has a “Rotten” score of 59% based on 54 verdicts. It only needs one more percentage point to push its way into “fresh” territory, so it’ll be worth keeping an eye on as opening weekend approaches.

Wolfman with Sam Jaeger (The Handmaid’s Tale), Ben Prendergast (The stay) and Benoît Hardie (The invisible man), with newcomer Zac Chandler, Beatriz Romilly (Shortland Street) and Milo Cawthorne (Shortland Street).

Wolfman is directed by Whannell and written by Whannell & Corbett Tuck. The film arrives in theaters on January 17, 2025.