Video game adaptations get a lot of flak. This is especially the case with action video game adaptations. They take expansive worlds and flatten it into two hours. Take whatever the hell “Warcraft” was, for example. The problem could be too much lore.
Then, comes in the horror adaptation “Werewolves Within.” The source material is a VR video game wide open with possibilities. It’s a Mafia-style game about a town being attacked by a werewolf where players must guess the werewolf’s identity. That has so much creative freedom with seemingly no important characters attached to the game.
You can do so much with that premise and bring in a lot of wacky characters. That’s exactly what happens with Josh Ruben’s “Werewolves Within,” from a screenplay penned by Mishna Wolff. The way they handle the source material is great. They create a creepy horror-comedy with a ton of laughs that really feels like an eerie version of “Clue.”
In the town of Beaverfield, a new ranger named Finn Wheeler (Sam Richardson) arrives in town to oversee the construction of a pipeline through certain properties on the town, led by Sam Parker (Wayne Duvall). Staying at a local inn, he meets co-lead and mailperson Cecily Moore (Milana Vayntrub), and through them we meet the rest of the residents of Beaverfield.
These include a cast of familiar comedy faces like Sarah Burns as an “aggressive mechanic” named Gwen and her husband Marcus (George Basil), the hilarious Michaela Watkins as the eccentric Trisha and her husband Pete (Michael Churnus) who balances her out. There’s also a wealthier gay couple in town with the Wolfson’s in Devon (Cheyenne Jackson) and a hilarious Joaquim (Harvey Guillén).
There are a couple more characters in between. However, these are the important ones as they’re eventually holed up in an inn together during a snowstorm in a good old-fashioned whodunnit. That structure of the film, where it does feel like “Clue,” works so well for this. Mishna Wolff does such a great job with it in her first screenplay, and I want to see what she does next.
It also works so well because it’s such a compelling ensemble. In Wolff’s screenplay, everyone gets a chance to shine; and Josh Ruben brings out the comedy in everyone. In Ruben’s second directing film in two years, I preferred this over his Shudder movie “Scare Me” just because I found that humour too try-hardy.
Here, the humour feels a bit more natural and consistently funny. And Ruben seems to be the proper choice to direct this, as “Scare Me” was also set in one location without power, albeit with a much smaller cast. Here, he and writer Mishna Wolff have a lot more personalities to work with and that’s such a benefit.
Even the subtle hints of comedy are great. One instance involves a local Grinch, Emerson (Glenn Fleshler) who lives on the outskirts of town. Finn visits him because he’s received a complaint about Emerson commercial trapping and Emerson tells him he can do whatever he pleases because “it’s called freedom,” and we hear an eagle caw in the background. Or a simple moment where Gwen shreds an air guitar to the sound of an argument is gold. Michaela Watkins as Trisha has some of the funniest moments in the film, too.
The film also sets itself up as a horror comedy so well from the get-go, with a quote attributed to Mister Rogers as a frightening music cue comes when it says that Mr. Rogers said the quote. Rogers happens to be an important aspect of the film, as kindness is something that Ranger Finn Wheeler completely invests in.
Sam Richardson is the perfect casting choice as an all-around nice guy. You’d want to get a beer with him, and his charming awkwardness makes him so fun. I’ve loved seeing Richardson in supporting roles over the past few years. With this, he shows he’s capable of leading potential as the 1A lead of this ensemble cast. He’s our way in and is in most of the scenes, but everyone helps carry the weight of the film.
This is especially the case, too, with Milana Vayntrub as Cecily, who feels like the 1B lead. Her charisma and she riffs so well with Sam Richardson. Their roles feel totally written for the two of them, and I’m looking forward to more from her. She stands out amongst the cast of talented people. I think that’s what makes “Werewolves Within” so great. Through the comedy, through the great horror, and through the arguments, everyone operates so well together. It’s also awesome to say that a video game adaptation is one of the more fun horror movies this year.
‘Werewolves Within’ recently premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and started a limited theatrical run today, June 25.
