There really are not a whole lot of good werewolf movies out there. Usually they are done on a budget too small to show off an elaborately designed creature that has a convincing transformation scene. Look at the THE HOWLING. That movie had about five sequels and none of them even came close to being as good as the first one. Not even by accident. Those were some weird movies too. Saying that BAD MOON is one of the best werewolf movies ever isn't saying much. It is one of the best by default. Still this is actually a good werewolf movie simply because the werewolf in it is actually darn scary. He is big with yellow fire eyes and massive terrifying chompers. He means business. That is to say if eating people was a business I am sure that this particular werewolf would be a pro.BAD MOON starts off in the jungle with Michael Pare and his girlfriend having some sex in a tent. All of a sudden a werewolf shows up and tears the girlfriend a new one. A naked and enraged Michael Pare charges the ill timing beast with nothing more than his still erect (I am assuming.) ding-a-ling between his legs. That doesn't turn out so well. The beast is dead and Michael Pare is still alive with his manhood still intact but he suffered a wound which now means he will be a werewolf. While kind of looking for a cure Michael goes back to the states to spend time with his sister and her ten year old son to hopefully keep the beast at bay. Oh, hey the little twerp has a dog.
This movie could be billed as Lassie vs. Werewolf. That is pretty much what happens in the film. The sister and her son have no idea that Michael Pare is a werewolf. It is up to the family dog to save them. It is kind of funny to view this movie like a Lassie film because there is this quaint, down on the home, Hallmark Channel Original movie vibe to the film. It is not a brooding dark film but rather sunny and plain. This all changes when the kills start to happen. There are not too many of them but when they occur they are surprisingly effective. BAD MOON delivers a couple of memorable kills that really show how powerful the beast can be.
The werewolf is the best part of the film. It is a frightful sight. Unfortunately they went cheap on the werewolf transformation scene. He morphs with the help of new at the time C.G.I. that doesn't even remotely look real. It is so bad that one could be completely put off by the entire film. The makers must have spent all their money on the wolf animatronics which are fantastic.
If you are looking for a decent werewolf film because you gave up on finding a great werewolf film like AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON or THE HOWLING then give BAD MOON a try. If you are like me you will find it to be a pretty good werewolf film that has enough good moments to make it memorable. Again that is not saying much but it is nice to see that there some good werewolf movies out there even though it seems like all the good ideas are taken in this particular genre. Case in point you would think that a werewolf movie called BAD MOON would have the hit Creedence Clearwater Revival song playing playfully during a scene but it has already been done in AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON.
Are there any more good werewolf movies out there? I love all the Wolfman movies from Universal and CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF from Hammer is great too. Remember PROJECT METAL BEAST? I need to see that one again and see if I still like it. Probably won't though.
Jason
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