Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: Recovering from a psychotic episode. a writer stays at a cabin nearby a town full of werewolves.
Review: After the overwhelming levels of shenanigans in the last two entries, they tried to go back to the basics with part 4. Perhaps they went a little too far back? The story is all too similar to the first film, albeit, a closer adaptation of the book. At the same time, they made a few missteps that could have been golden opportunities to put this franchise on track. For one, the werewolves don't show up until extremely late in the game, and it didn't help that the only good shot of a werewolf we got looked like Cellar Dweller; the rest appear as mere wild dogs. Then there were those dumb psychic visions--where did those come from? I have my own explanation that could have worked, but the movie doesn't acknowledge this and they sort of lose relevance by the end. I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of horny werewolves. We're four movies in and all these dumb creatures ever seem to do is want to fuck. I prefer my werewolves as bloodthirsty killers who rip you to shreds. Plus, this film and the last both imply werewolves die to any old method. What the hell? It's silver or get the fuck out.
So the story focuses on a writer, named Marie, who inexplicably pulls psychic visions out of her ass. I suppose we could assume she's had them her whole life, and used them for her writing, but, given the events of the film, that would be highly unlikely. Sometimes she can see the past while other times it's the future. Right. Using these visions as a contrivance to get the plot rolling, Marie and her wannabe Richard Marx husband...named Richard...stay at a cabin in the woods so that Marie can regain her focus with writing. Needless to say, the whole town near the cabin is infested with werewolves yet again. Though, why is this town supposed to be redneck territory despite being in driving distance from Los Angeles? And again, the husband is seduced by a werewolf girl. But of course! Surprisingly, the intrigue isn't too bad as you are left wondering what's going on for a time; there is this whole subplot about a nun that tried to exorcise the werewolves believing them to be demons.
We get a lot of howling and POV shots of the wolfies, but that doesn't cut it; I don't think the first legit shot is until the hour mark. Richard Marx becomes a werewolf at one point, but I don't fully understand his transformation. So each time the werewolves transform they become chocolate milkshakes or is that supposed to be what happens when you pop your wolfie cherry? And were those assholes chanting something about Satan? Uhh...okay. By the last 15 minutes or so, the movie finally picks up with a pretty cool final showdown with the werewolves. One of Marie's friends, another nun, lures the werewolves to a bell tower while Marie burns their candy asses. Don't worry though, we get a nice cornball zinger to close it out.
Overall, this was an improvement over the last two movies, in terms of quality, but nothing really happens and things get boring quick. I felt like the biggest waste was not throwing in a twist that was sitting right there. Make Marie the werewolf! Forget the whole town of werewolves bullshit as that is seen coming a million miles away. That should have been the red herring. The visions shouldn't have been stupid visions in the first place as that makes no damn sense anyway. They should have been memories of Marie as a werewolf. In other words, instead of visions of dead people, she is remembering people she killed. Plus, she's supposed to be a writer with a vivid imagination, right? Her "imagination" should have been the things she saw and did as a werewolf. Besides, we don't know what kind of books she writes--a great opportunity for a hint. When the husband explained how he chose the cabin, they could have threw in a subtle hint that Marie had been there before to help inspire her writing. The whole movie could have been a buildup to the revelation that Marie, was, in fact, a werewolf all along and end it with her eating Richard Marx or getting shot by Christoper Lee for all I care. Finally, this would fit the notion of "original nightmare" better as they would go back to the roots of werewolf lore; people who are cursed to be werewolves and don't necessarily even know what they're doing. Oh well. For what it is, this is one of the moderate entries in the franchise--it's not terrible, but it's not good either.
Notable Moment: The moment those opening credits roll. If you had any concern whether you were watching an '80s movie, those doubts should be immediately alleviated.
Final Rating: 5/10
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