Wolf (1994)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img] Jack Nicholson is totally commmited into his role and is probably the best part of this horror flick. Well it wasn't scary at all so I wouldn't actually call it horror. I enjoyed the premise of Wolf… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img] Jack Nicholson is totally commmited into his role and is probably the best part of this horror flick. Well it wasn't scary at all so I wouldn't actually call it horror. I enjoyed the premise of Wolf more than the actual film. It's got decent direction and a few laughs but it was aggresively unamibitious in it's execution. It could have been better but I enjoyed Nicholson and the attempt at something better than a production line werewolf movie. It's very cheesy and it isn't good but then again it isn't bad either.

• moon r

  
  Mike Nichols directs this update of the wolfman myth with Jack Nicholson as the victim/monster. Here its played interestingly as sort of a desirable thing, a fountain of youth, an answer to societal submissiveness. Michelle Pfieffer adds spice as the woman drawn into it.

• Curtis L

  
  Hm. Not great for sure, but not terrible. The end was pretty dumb.

• Anthony L

  
  Wolf is quite dated now and it's very cheesy but take it with a pinch of salt and a knowing wink and you'll enjoy it. Mike Nichols is quite a hit and miss director but this is the first of his films where I've been right in the middle with.

• Zach B

  
  Like the legends of the vampires, werewolves are one of the most abused and tainted urban Legends and folklores out there and it is hard to make one that takes the legend seriously and is able to breathe new life into it. Well, here is a film that does a damn good job about it and… More
  Like the legends of the vampires, werewolves are one of the most abused and tainted urban Legends and folklores out there and it is hard to make one that takes the legend seriously and is able to breathe new life into it. Well, here is a film that does a damn good job about it and does it right. The direction of this film is, for the most part, very well done. The story is kept suspenseful, the presence of the evil is here, and we see the harm and danger the power of the werewolves causes on it's human victim plus we see some cultures explain their version and the prevention of this creature. But the thing I like the most is how the wolfs look in this film. While watching this film, I was reminded of the Robert Rodriguez film "From Dusk Till Dawn". In that film, it had vampires. But these vampires still looked human while being complete demons from Hell. The same thing is said here. These are wolfs that are werewolves, but keep intact human characteristics. That is what is needed. Now, the acting is spot on with wonderful performances from Jack Nicholson (Academy Award Winner for One Flew Over The Cuckooâ(TM)s Nest) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Cat Woman in Time Burton's Batman Returns). One thing I like is how Jack Nicholson makes a presence that feels like that at any moment, he could go off and go crazy. He is perfect for this film and it shows it. Now, the script to this film is rather interesting. You all know the saying "This is going to the dogs?" Well, this film is something of a metaphor for the destruction of the publishing house and how it is going to the dogs. What is happening now is that people are hiring inexperienced yuppies to take control of industries while allowing the people that do know how to do the job in the dark and forgotten. This film predicts that in a very good and convincing way. Now, the score is done by the master of films scores himself: Ennio Morricone. Morricone, who done the score for John Carpenter's The Thing creates a score that is erriely reminiscent of The Thing, and I like how it works here. His scores take a life of their own and, in return, go on to create more than likely one of the best werewolves films out there. Bottom line: This film overshadows the damage done by modern film makers in the text of werewolves and is a film that should now be missed.

• Conner R

  
  I really enjoyed this re-imagining of The Wolf Man a lot. Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Spader were all perfect for their roles. I actually thought the traditional werewolf look worked well, they didn't need to have an effects driven monster. It's certainly a… More
  I really enjoyed this re-imagining of The Wolf Man a lot. Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Spader were all perfect for their roles. I actually thought the traditional werewolf look worked well, they didn't need to have an effects driven monster. It's certainly a change in Mike Nichols usual style, which was nice. It's a lot of fun and definitely worthy of the character. In fact, it might just be my favorite version of the story.

• Jason O

  
  Will Randall (Jack Nicholson) is the senior editor of a big book company and his life isn't as great as he would like it to be. However, things drastically change, and mostly improve, for Will after he is bitten by a mean looking wolf. Will soon finds out that he is changing more… More
  Will Randall (Jack Nicholson) is the senior editor of a big book company and his life isn't as great as he would like it to be. However, things drastically change, and mostly improve, for Will after he is bitten by a mean looking wolf. Will soon finds out that he is changing more and more every day and that he is becoming like a wolf. Before long, he has better vision, hearing, and a spectacular sense of smell, but not everything has improved for Mr. Randall. Since he is now a lot more like a wolf, animals are now afraid of him and he becomes a murderer, just by following his wolf instincts. Will Mr. Randall find out what he's becoming, and is there a way to stop it? "Wolf" is a pretty good movie. The makeup and the special effects in the movie aren't some of the best, but they get the job done. Jack Nicholson does a good job of acting and so does Michelle Pfeiffer as Will's new love interest. "Wolf" is a moderately exciting movie, it doesn't have as much blood and gore as you would expect it to have. It also doesn't have as much action as I would've liked to have seen, but it was still an entertaining movie and I recommend anybody who likes horror movies to at least watch "Wolf." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001. Worst Nicholson movie I've ever seen, cause most of his rock.

• Phil H

  
  Was Jack born to play this, I think so. He's a great wolf with his snarling smile and evil eyes. Pfeiffer is hot as hell and the two smoulder. Its a nice idea for the genre but its alittle lame to be honest. The yellow eyes of the werewolfs are good and kinda the films key… More
  Was Jack born to play this, I think so. He's a great wolf with his snarling smile and evil eyes. Pfeiffer is hot as hell and the two smoulder. Its a nice idea for the genre but its alittle lame to be honest. The yellow eyes of the werewolfs are good and kinda the films key contribution for their wolf look, but its Jacks weirdness that you wanna see.

• Martin S

  
  I don't know...I didn't see the conflict in this movie....okay..he's a wolf....but nobody got hurt by it

• _kelly .

  
  Saw this on AMC this week. Was a childhood favorite and still a favorite now, especially since the main characters are in the publishing industry. A great thriller with some of my favorite actors. Minimalistic wolf stylings are effective and probably planted the idea in my head… More
  Saw this on AMC this week. Was a childhood favorite and still a favorite now, especially since the main characters are in the publishing industry. A great thriller with some of my favorite actors. Minimalistic wolf stylings are effective and probably planted the idea in my head that a younger Nicholson would have made a great Logan/Wolverine.

• Morgan S

  
  love Jack Nicholson as always!!

• Ken S

  
  Endlessly Silly. Even with a cast of Nicholson, Spader, Pfeiffer, David Hyde Piece, Alison Janey, Christopher Plummer and David Schwimer; Nichols is unable to make this film anything above laughable. From the ridiculous were-wire-fu to the bad "out of control facial… More
  Endlessly Silly. Even with a cast of Nicholson, Spader, Pfeiffer, David Hyde Piece, Alison Janey, Christopher Plummer and David Schwimer; Nichols is unable to make this film anything above laughable. From the ridiculous were-wire-fu to the bad "out of control facial hair" make up effects, Wolf is a constant string of unintentional laughs.

• Candy R

  
  Good cast but not a great storyline.

• Dr Blood  

  
  An unoriginal idea to say the least, but, as Jack Nicholson is perfectly wolf-like in real life, he is very convincing in his lycanthropic role.

• Jason S

  
  Jack as a wolf? Is this a documentary?

• xGary X

  
  It was not until I joined Flixster that I realised just how many piss-poor movies Jack Nicholson has made! Half soap opera, half unconvincing hokey horror, it sucks as both.

• Michael G

  
  Not as good as I remember.

• Byron B

  
  The dialog is pretty silly especially filled with as many werewolf/dog puns as possible and always avoiding ever directly saying that the movie is about a werewolf. The romance isn't very believable as Nicholson and Pfeiffer try to play the classic couple who bickers and… More
  The dialog is pretty silly especially filled with as many werewolf/dog puns as possible and always avoiding ever directly saying that the movie is about a werewolf. The romance isn't very believable as Nicholson and Pfeiffer try to play the classic couple who bickers and pretends to be irritated with each other until they finally fall into each others arms realizing how madly in love they are. I think Jack Nicholson's face lends itself to being a werewolf, but he never has so much makeup applied that it obscures his face, after all he's a star. James Spader doesn't give a very subtle performance as the bad guy, but the werewolf makeup works well on him too. And his features actually change a little more than Nicholson's. I thought the makeup work was very good except you don't see much of the transformations and the action/attack scenes had some weird editing tricks to hide a lot of the flaws. It was painfully obvious to me that a lot of Nicholson's character running or fighting was done by a stunt man. Nicholson mainly does some growling and heavy breathing on his closeups, but even from a distance the makeup on the stunt men is pretty bad and it took me out of the moment every time.

• Danny R

  
  A classy well-mounted werewolf horror drama in which Jack Nicholson delivers a sublimely nuanced performance he superbly plays William Randall, a respected book editor from a New York publishing house. One night while driving back from Vermont down a snowy road he accidentally strikes… More
  A classy well-mounted werewolf horror drama in which Jack Nicholson delivers a sublimely nuanced performance he superbly plays William Randall, a respected book editor from a New York publishing house. One night while driving back from Vermont down a snowy road he accidentally strikes a large wolf; when gets out to investigate and gets near the fallen wolf it suddenly bites him in the hand and runs off into the woods, when he arrives in New York City he learns that a billionaire named Raymond Alden, well played by Christopher Plummer has brought his publishing house and has demoted him, and his back-stabbing protege Steward Swinton, played by James Spader in a beautifully slimey turn has stolen his job. Randall has also discovered a newfound aggressiveness as well as heighten senses of smell, sight, hearing and immense strength; he use these abilities to assert himself in the boardroom and get his old job back, he also becomes involved with the billionaire's wayward daughter nicely played by the lovely Michelle Pfeffer. But Randall starts growing an abnormal amount of hair and he now fears that he is becoming a werewolf, and is being driven to kill by the beast within him. Fine direction by Mike Nichols with terrific supporting performances by Elieen Atkins, David Hyde Pierce, Richard Jenkins, Kate Nelligan, and Vijay Alezias. Spectacular cinematography by Giueseppe Rotunno and a brilliant score by Ennio Morricone. Superb makeup by Rick Baker. A intelligent and tense film. Highly Recommended.

• Deb S

  
  Jack Nicholson plays a middle-aged book editor Will Randall who lets people walk all over him. He gets passed over for his promotion and loses his wife to the smooth talker, Stewart Swinton (Secretary's James Spader). But all this soon changes when he gets bitten by a wolf on a… More
  Jack Nicholson plays a middle-aged book editor Will Randall who lets people walk all over him. He gets passed over for his promotion and loses his wife to the smooth talker, Stewart Swinton (Secretary's James Spader). But all this soon changes when he gets bitten by a wolf on a lonely road one night. Will starts to feel different, he feels younger, has a better sense of smell and hearing, and gets more aggressive particularly towards the man he discovers having an affair with his wife. He also meets the beautiful Laura Alden (Michelle Pfeiffer). This movie has action, romance, betrayal and intrigue. Jack looks very cool as a werewolf, with those little growls he makes while he's in human mode. His face just says "wolf' lol and who better to play a wolf than somebody who actually looks like a wolf. The humor in it was great and we have lots of good actors including Christopher Plummer.

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