Wolf Garden Movie Review

"Haunted by visions of his lost love and a mysterious creature lurking in the nearby woods, a man hides in isolation in this spine-chilling horror, mystery, and thriller film. Directed by Wayne David and produced by Gravitas Ventures, this English-language movie runs for 1 hour and 29 minutes and is set to release on streaming platforms starting February 28, 2023.

The film's plot revolves around a man who has retreated into the wilderness, away from the world and its troubles. As he struggles to cope with his isolation, he is plagued by haunting visions of his beloved partner and a mysterious creature that lurks in the nearby woods. The film takes viewers on a terrifying journey as the man battles his own demons and tries to unravel the truth behind his eerie experiences.



When horror fans hear the title Wolf Garden, they may expect a werewolf movie, and they would be correct. However, this film is not your typical werewolf flick. It's a slow-burning psychological thriller with a non-linear structure that may test your patience. The movie's writer/director, Wayne David, also stars as William, who went on a vacation to the countryside with his girlfriend, Chantelle (played by Sian Altman). Something went terribly wrong during their trip, leaving Chantelle missing, and William hiding in the wilderness, fearing the next full moon.

The film's scattered narrative jumps back and forth between past, present, nightmares, and moments where William and Chantelle question whether or not they're experiencing reality, making it difficult to discern what is a flashback or a nightmare. Despite William's occasional conversations with a mysterious character known as The Visitor (played by Grant Masters), Wolf Garden is largely a one-man show. Although David and Altman do their best with the material, the characters' interactions are not compelling, and their love story falls flat.

The lack of cool special effects may disappoint viewers, but Masters' captivating screen presence and the slow-burning tension may appeal to fans of the genre. However, the film's tone, structure, and pace may be off-putting for some, making it a patience-challenging viewing experience. While David did a commendable job carrying the film, there's not enough going on in the movie to sustain its 89-minute running time and make it a satisfying watch.

Wolf Garden is now available on digital and VOD platforms. If you're willing to give it a chance, you can watch it on Amazon. But be warned, this werewolf movie may not be what you expect.

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Wolf Garden, the new horror film from writer/director Wayne David, promises to be a werewolf movie that is both a slow-burn psychological thriller and a mind game. Starring David himself as William, the film tells the story of William and his girlfriend Chantelle's vacation in the countryside, which goes terribly wrong, leaving Chantelle missing and William hiding in the wilderness, fearing the next full moon.

While marketed as "An American Werewolf in London meets Vertigo," Wolf Garden is not a typical werewolf movie, with few special effects and a non-linear structure that may test viewers' patience. The film's scattered narrative jumps back and forth between past, present, nightmares, and moments where William and Chantelle question their reality, making it difficult to discern what is a flashback and what is a nightmare.

Although largely a one-man show, David is occasionally joined by Sian Altman as Chantelle and Grant Masters as a mysterious character known as The Visitor. Masters' captivating screen presence and his conversations with William are reminiscent of the chats the werewolf in An American Werewolf in London would have with the ghosts of victims.

Despite David's fine performance and Altman's solid acting, the film's slow pace and uninteresting characters make it difficult to sustain the 89-minute running time. Fans of the slow-burn may find the film engaging, but for others, the tone, structure, and pace may be off-putting and patience-challenging.

Wolf Garden is available on digital and VOD as of February 28th. Viewers can watch it on Amazon, but they should be aware that it may not be the typical werewolf movie they were expecting