WolfCop tells the story of Lou Garou a hard boiled officer of the law who is also a full blown alcoholic. Things change for Lou when he wakes up with a pentagram carved into his chest and discovers that he has been transformed into a lycanthrope. Along with the help of his partner Tina, Lou works to uncover the cause of his sudden transformation and expose a ring of corruption that is plaguing his hometown.
WolfCop is every kind of over the top but that’s exactly what makes it great. Writer/director Lowell Dean really went for it and the result is an exploitation-fueled ride, complete with sex, excessive gore, and a lovable lush that’s half man, half wolf, and all cop! It’s ridiculous and awesome, all at the same time.
The film stars Leo Fafard (who had previously worked primarily as a camera operator) as the titular character and Amy Matysio (Chained) as Tina. Fafard is excellent as the WolfCop. He was a great casting choice. He looks the part and he is great onscreen. In spite of a lack of experience, he really shines. Amy Matysio is also fantastic. She brings a balance to the dynamic between Tina and Lou and is very likable.
The scene where Lou has sex with Jessica (Sarah Lind of Severed) as a wolf is outrageous and totally wrong. It is completely bizarre but it’s treated like the most natural thing in the world. That is the case with much of the movie. The inherent comedy value comes from the fact that everyone is playing it straight in the face of a premise that is as ridiculous as they come. Fans of films like Hobo with a Shotgun will find much to love here! The film works best when it is downplaying the comedy, rather than going for the obvious laughs. WolfCop really succeeds when it puts Lou in outrageous situations that are funny without anyone having to try too hard. This picture allows the ridiculousness of the premise to do most of the work when it comes to making the audience laugh and that is one of the things I loved most about it.
The biggest problem I had with the film is that the backstory is somehow simultaneously underdeveloped and unnecessarily complicated. The final few minutes are a bit of an exposition dump, yet somehow, they still leave a series of unanswered questions. The backstory regarding Lou’s transformation needed to be either simplified or explored in greater detail. As it stands, that aspect is a bit too awkward. But that does very little to detract from the picture as a whole. No one is going into WolfCop looking for perfectly polished exposition. We are looking for awesome werewolf effects and we get those in spades! The practical effects work on this project is something to marvel at. The transformation scenes are gorgeous.
At long last WolfCop has secured U.S. distribution. It will see release on DVD and Blu March 10, 2015. The film played at Cineplex theaters across Canada and has screened at a variety of film festivals. But it wasn’t until just recently that it landed a stateside distribution deal. It’s a good thing that this picture is headed for the states because it is truly enjoyable. It’s the most fun I have had with a werewolf movie in a long time! Check this out as soon as you possibly can.
WICKED RATING: 7/10
Director(s): Lowell Dean
Writer(s): Lowell Dean
Stars: Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio
Release: March 10, 2015
Studio/ Production Co: Image Entertainment
Language: English
Length: 79 Minutes
Sub-Genre:Werewolves
