Wolf Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
The Animal Is Out
Beware
Worn down and out of luck, aging publisher Will Randall (Jack Nicholson) is at the end of his rope when a younger co-worker snatches both his job and wife out from under his nose. But after being bit by a wolf, Will suddenly finds himself energized, more competitive than ever, and possessed with amazingly heightened senses. Meanwhile, the beautiful daughter of his shrewd boss begins to fall for him - without realizing that the man she's begun to love is gradually turning into the creature by which he was bit.
| Jack Nicholson | Will Randall |
| Michelle Pfeiffer | Laura Alden |
| James Spader | Stewart Swinton |
| Kate Nelligan | Charlotte Randall |
| Richard Jenkins | Det. Bridger |
| Eileen Atkins | Mary |
| Christopher Plummer | Raymond Alden |
| Ron Rifkin | Doctor |
| David Hyde Pierce | Roy |
| Om Puri | Dr. Vijay Alezias |
| Prunella Scales | Maude |
| Brian Markinson | Det. Wade |
| Peter Gerety | George |
| Bradford English | Keyes |
| Stewart J. Zully | Gary |
| Mike Nichols |
5.80 out of 10 (8283 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Be afraid, Be very afraid
posted on 04 Aug 2009Tis a sad, sad state of modern horror these days......I sincerly believe that two things are giving this movie a rating which it doesn't deserve.1) the Damn Edited-for-tv version which cuts the very heart and soul out of the movie. For example, when Will goes to seek answers and finds an amulet, there is a well-scripted, beautifully acted sequence with the "shaman" that adds context and beauty to the concept of the "demon wolf". Indeed the Shaman sees it as a gift, and wants Will to "share". But if all viewers have ever seen is the tv version, this scene is little more than 90 seconds long and butchered to death.... (damn tv execs....)2) People have the mistaken belief that another classic Horror movie can never be made.. This movie deserves to stand tall with the original Dracula and Frankenstein movies in terms of the set design, cinemtography, acting, theme presentation, and use of secondary characters. This is a movie which uses SUPPORTING actors in ways that arn't usually done. Christopher Plummer, Prunella Scales and David Pierce lent more support to "Jack, Michelle and James" then is generally seen today.This is NOT a shock-horror movie, and is not for the "Scream" audiences..9 out of 10
A Mike Nichols Werewolf Movie!
posted on 26 Jul 2009Jack Nicholson stars and impresses with this little romantic horror gem. Michelle Pheiffer, James Spader and Christopher Plummer provide the emotional foils. Supporting cast includes memorable performances by Kate Nelligan, Om Puri, Richard Jenkins and David Hyde-Pierce. The Animatronics being the worst part of the film, this film could stand a simple revision in CGI to make it a more thrilling ride. The story is simple but elegant in a world of publishers, writers and editors with wolves thrown into the mix. This is a definite watch for me when the moon is right.
To the doghouse with this puppy
posted on 05 Jul 2009What the devil is Jack Nicholson doing in this dog. Is James Spader having trouble finding good scripts these days. This was a wolfman film, for God's sake. Wolfman! I can see a two bit actor like Lon Chaney spending his entire life making offbeat canine movies, but not these two fine actors. What is this world coming to?
A Classy Werewolf Story
posted on 17 Jun 2009Here's a werewolf movie done with some style and some class. This may be the only werewolf-business world combination. It features effective villains played by James Spader and Christopher Plummer. I've always found Spader an easy guy to dislike, in any film.Jack Nicholson is the lead guy, however, and is refreshingly low-key, especially for him. I don't believe he ever raised his voice in this movie, acting very subdued throughout.There isn't as much action as you see in most modern-day horror movies but yet this is such an intense story that you don't lose interest. It's pretty good in the visual department, too, and it doesn't hurt to ogle Michelle Pfeiffer.Even though the profanity is pretty low for a '90s film, when it's there it's needless. They could could have done this movie, believe it or not, without any and it still would have been good. I'm not complaining. I still recommend this, but not for people who are looking for an action--packed vampire film.
Corporate werewolf.
posted on 05 Jun 2009A clever modern day werewolf tale set in the corporate jungle of New York. Fine direction, script and performances make this an interesting film that borders on 'dark humour' territory. Jack is perfectly cast as the hairy one that gets to lift his leg over Pfeiffer.
But it's NOT a werewolf movie!
posted on 06 May 2009The negative comments about this film have tended to come from people who mistakenly believe it is a werewolf movie. It simply isn't, not just according to me, but to the screenwriter, Jim Harrison. It is actually based on the Inuit belief that one way to recover from severe illness is to inhabit the body of an animal. In order to become a wolf, a human must already contain "the analog of the wolf." (Jim Harrison, Off to the Side) The film is both an exploration of inner wildness and a diatribe against corporate trends in publishing and the marginalization of individuality and good taste in popular culture. Harrison claims it is based on an actual episode of lycanthropy he once experienced in his cabin.Jim Harrison is one of America's finest authors, a quadruple threat as a novelist, poet, screenwriter, and essayist. His films (Wolf, Cold Feet, Revenge, Carried Away, and the brilliant Legends of the Fall) are so diverse that you have to go to the drama, comedy, horror, and action racks in a video store to find them all. He's a national treasure!
The older you are the higher the stars you give this movie
posted on 29 Sep 2008I am 51 and I give it 10 stars. The struggles we have, we fight as ourselves. But the expectations we have to live up to are the expectations of other people. How do we cope? How do we fight and how do we finally give up? I think this movie explores these questions without any compromise.
No spoilers, just a recommendation :o)
posted on 23 Sep 2008This is a fun movie to rent on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon... Think of when you're still in your jammies and have a few snacks and your family pet to lounge around, that sort of lazy afternoon and there's nothing really engaging on tv or cable... this is a good time for "Wolf". I'm not saying it's prime cinematography or The Next Great Film, but it is different and refreshing. I was satisfied and entertained by the end of the whole experience, and I own a copy to play whenever the mood strikes me. And - it's hard to go wrong with Michelle Pfeiffer or Jack (except in "Anger Management", but don't get me started on that piece of junk) and there is some great intelligent dialogue involving those two. Enjoy!
Still In Awe of this Masterpiece
posted on 17 Sep 2008I too,found it disheartening to see so many pple hating on Wolf.Honestly,the main reason I checked this film out was because it had Jack Nicholson in it*gets strange fangirl look on her face*,but I came out pleased with the result.The whole film was visually stunning,acting was top notch(James Spader kicked booty^_^),and the music was appropriate and just in the right spots.I especially loved the dialogue between Will Randall and Laura Alden when they first met...but the ending sorta left me hanging.Still a must see film,tho!!Thankees to Mike Nichols for giving us the pleasure of Wolf.
"It feels good to be wolf - yes?"
posted on 09 Aug 2008Now HERE is a film to sort out the average from the anything-but-average viewer. The reviews I have read sadden me, as they suggest a respective ratio of 98 : 2If you cannot see the absolute brilliance and talent that went into this deceptively clever and involving movie, why declare your obvious limitations by writing about it? Of course it was never going to be your average run of the mill lycanthropic bite-fest. Was that ever likely with Mike Nichols directing and Nicholson starring? The film is a dedication to BELIEFS, to unseen beauty, unacknowledged links and to the predator in all of us. It is a tale of romance and magnificence. Way up there in my own personal top 50 films of all time I could never tire of watching this film and LISTENING..and this word is the key.HEARING becomes an intrinsic part of Nicholson's transformation after he is bitten by a wolf on his way home one night in upstate New York. He works as senior editor in an upmarket publishing house that is taken over by a conglomerate headed up by Christopher Plummer in one of his superb little Christopher Plummer characterisations. Nicholson's Will Randall is offered the job no-one wants by Plummer to catalyse his hoped-for resignation. The essence of the wolf however already in his blood sharpens his instincts and he takes the fight up to Plummer ultimately forcing a back-down.Of so many wonderful scenes presented, it is hard to nominate a favorite but that where he meets Plummer's daughter (Michelle Pfeiffer) stands as one of the great verbal exchanges ever put down on film. Up there with Pacino and De Niro in HEAT, Pacino and Keanu Reeves in THE DEVILS ADVOCATE, sparks just fly as the old pro shreds her veneer of impenetrable coldness and gets plenty back, all the time both unconsciously aware of something quite outside their experiences, taking hold somewhere in another dimension.My personal nomination for stand out scene, is the sequence where Will Randall, concerned and confused as to what is happening to him, consults alternative health doctor Vijay Alezias (so humbly played by Om Puri) who understands what afflicts Randall and explains to him the "nature" of the wolf and the strength it will ultimately bequeath upon him. In a scene so absolutely touching, he proffers his hand to Nicholson and explaining that he is an old man with limited time left asks "Would you honor me with your bite?" How ANYONE could watch that and not be moved to an emotional melt-down I just don't know. The utter confusion reigning then in Randall's expression when he declines is just acting on another level altogether.James Spader who is consistently one of the most repulsive of actors (maybe thats his talent?) in a litany of warped and twisted roles plays the corporate climber not just happy to take Randall's job, but his friend's wife (smallish role for Nelligan) as well. The washroom scene where Nicholson announces simply "Just marking out my territory" was worth seeing alone!Many have complained bitterly that the finale descends into a "typical b-grade werewolf movie." Jeez, they ARE WEREWOLVES for God's sake what did you expect Nichols to come up with? a fight to the death with mouse pads?
The absolute last scene where Pfeiffer's eyes morph into the wolf was an inspirational touch. Easily one of HER best films!
Could be a good horror film
posted on 17 Apr 2008It really could be a good horror film. It has practically everything. Good actors, good script, good special effects and crappy ending. I always wonder why many Hollywood directors just cannot stop at the right place. The end is so sloppy (I mean these silent pictures of a wolf and face of Michelle Pfiffer appearing and reappearing for no reason) it almost kills all the effect. But in general a good film.
A nearly perfect synthesis of realism, satire and horror
posted on 05 Apr 2008Mike Nichols is not always an inspired director but in this case HE IS ! Quite amazingly but undeniably, he manages with this gem to achieve a nearly perfect synthesis of the realistic, satiric and horror genres.The theme of lycanthropy , provided by Jim Harrison's exciting screenplay, is made all the more interesting since it applies to real life, to the soulless society surrounding us. We have an expression in French "l'homme est un loup pour l'homme" (Men are wolves to other men ) which could not be illustrated in a better way than by this somber movie. Indeed, the werewolf theme (unfortunately ) applies to perfection to our money-minded, cynical,mercantile environment.Also very interesting is the fact that lycanthropy is presented from two angles, the first violent and painful ( like in dozens of such like stories ) the second positive and exhilarating ( a much more seldom approach ). Will Randall not only suffers from the change in his mind and body but he sees his senses becoming keener, his abilities develop and his combativeness strengthened. And putting all these new qualities to good use,he turns into the dark avenger of the frustrated viewer. The dark romantic ending ( the couple becoming wolves ) avoids the trite happy end and the terror effects are very satisfactory. I particularly vibrated at the fight between Nicholson and Spader, in the middle of which poor Michelle Pfeiffer is ruthlessly brutalized.The opening sequence ( worried Nicholson driving in a beautiful but unsettling snowy landscape ) is also memorable.Nicholson, Pfeiffer, Spader and Plummer are all excellent and complement each other to perfection. Shame on those who disparage this masterpiece.
"I'm just marking my territory...and you got in the way."
posted on 05 Apr 2008~Spoiler~Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein were grandiose Gothic remakes (not to mention great films) while The Mummy was remade as an Indiana Jones adventure. Wolf was neither. While the aforementioned three were epics, Wolf stayed true to its own roots (The Wolfman) and told a down to earth story about a regular guy having a bad week. In Dracula we get Gary Oldman and in Frankenstein we get Robert DeNiro. In Wolf, we get Jack. Nicholson is at his best with these kinds of eccentric roles. He was made for them. Pfeiffer is gorgeous as his anchor and love interest while James Spader is brilliant as his nemesis. Spader was also bred for his role in the film and he can really get under my skin sometimes. Rick Baker's old school make-up is another charismatic asset of the film. Nicholson is never hidden under any prosthetics and there is never any reason to do so. Nicholson is an extraordinary actor and he performs the part well enough without gobs of make-up. I gotta say that this is a great movie, not just a horror movie. The story being told here is just good, old fashioned revenge. Nicholson really goes for the throat and I love watching every minute of it.
Gem flick
posted on 18 Jan 2008I had not seen this movie for a few years. I couldn't remember much, but today I gave it a try and boy... What a blast! Maybe I was too young then (I'm 24 now) or else, but the thing is I absolutely love this film!!!!!. This a classic werewolf tale told for adults. There are no cheap tricks, no wooden acting, no unnecessary gore. This movie has a great cast, a stylish direction and a marvellous script. In a way is a Marvel comic for the adults brought in it's full glory to the screen. A man beaten by an animal and getting his powers (Spider-man anyone?): sharp smell, great strenght, well... you get the picture. Nicholson and Pffeifer make such a great couple. The lines they throw at each other are just wonderful (the kitchen scene is outstanding). Plus we have a Morriconne score...What else can we say? An overlooked gem! Comic-book buffs check it out!
Wolf Power
posted on 19 Dec 2007**SPOILERS** After hitting a wolf, the first one seen in the wild in the state of Vermont since 1900, with his car on his way driving home to New York City publishing house vice president a concerned Will Randell, Jack Nicholson, tries to see what he could do to help the injured canine. All of a sudden the what at first look like a dead wolf came alive and viciously bit Will on his right hand.It's later at his job that Will begins to act and even look a bit strange with what is obviously the results of the wolf bite he received. Being ultra sensitive to smells and sounds, with his eyesight now improved to a super sharp 20/10 vision, the mild mannered Will also becomes violently aggressive, like the alpha-wolf who bit him, in what he wants on and off the job. This all doesn't go too well with Will's co-worker and rival for his job as vice president of his book publishing firm Stewart Swinton, James Spader. Swinton has for some time tried to get Will's job by working behind his back in getting his boss Raymond Alden, Christopher Plumer, to transfer him out to the firms Eastern European-a dead end job- branch! Beside that Swinton is also having an affair with Will's cheating wife Charlotte, Kate Nellign, who's looking to improve her lifestyle by hooking with the the young and aggressive up and coming star of firm.Will who was more or less willing to go along with him being transfered to Eastern Europe now becomes more then ever determined to not only stay on his job in NYC but get back at both Swinton and his boss Raymond Alder for trying to screw him out of it!Making a shambles of Alder and Swinton's plans for him Will also gets romantically involved with Alden's strong willed and beautiful daughter Laura, Michelle Pfeiffer, who had never gave him as much as a second look. It's in Will's not being intimated by her it's my way or the highway father that strangely attracts Laura to him as well as his new found free spirit and love for the great outdoors. It's also Will's confrontation with that back-stabbing yuppie Swinton, in the firms mans washroom, that has Swinton soon take up the same wolf-like characteristics that he has. this leads to Swinton changing for the wimpish and gutless conniver that he is to a man of animal-like strength and murderous ferocity that he's soon to become. This sudden change in Swinton leads to the inevitable life and death confrontation that he has with Will at the climax of the film "Wolf".***SPOILER ALERT*** In "Wolf" the wolfish Jack Nicholson does one of the best interpretation of a wolf-man since Lon Cheney Jr did back in 1941. In fact Nicholson does it with a fraction of the makeup-job, as well as with no computer-enhanced special effects, that Cheney did it with in his staring in the classic horror film of the 1940's "the Wolfman". In the end not only Will but Laura give up on civilization and end up in the wilds, of upper New York State?, that now seem more at home to them then where they used to reside: The Big Apple. As for Swinton his reckless attempt to both murder Will and rape Laura backfired on him with him making it possible, by his vicious attack on Laura, for the two to get out of town and live together in the wilds that they now call home.
Enter the wolf
posted on 19 Nov 2007The best werewolf movies avoid making the wolves that much different from humans. Dog Soldiers pitted a pack of werewolves against a squad of soldiers (both led by 2 alpha males....hmmm).In wolf we delve into the mind of the wolf. Jack Nicholson (who else) is becoming a werewolf, and guess what, it makes his career in the corporate world take off. It is basically wallstreet with more hair.But the wolf will consume the man, and really that is the weakness of the story so we leave the boardroom for the Forest (or at least central park). Can the man conquer the wolf, or does the man want to be the wolf and revel in the savagery. In many ways the plot is closer to a vampire movie than a werewolf story. It is an above average werewolf movie that would have been more suited to the 1980s.
Underrated werewolf classic
posted on 08 Oct 2007This has to be one of the best werewolf movies ever made, although I don't think it gets due credit for that. Nicholson is perfect in this role, and the dialogue is very witty and intelligent. Michelle Pfieffer has never looked more ravishing, and her performance is one of her best. James Spader is delightfully weird as Nicholson's antagonist, and the special effects are wisely kept to a minimum, making them more effective. Rick Baker's werewolf makeup is reminiscent of another werewolf classic, Werewolf Of London. The atmosphere brings back memories of old Universal horror flicks, and the film overall is tasteful and doesn't rely on gore or shock value, very refreshing for a horror film made in the last 30 years. Kudos to all involved.
A mature werewolf flick
posted on 20 Sep 2007This movie was a welcome change from the typical werewolf flick. First off, we have Jack. Jack rules. Also, we have a good story that relates to adult life. This movie seems to pay tribute to classic werewolf films such as "The Wolf Man" with its basic formula of: Normal man, man bitten, man realizes something wrong, man discovers cool abilities, man uses abilities, man's abilities become out of control, man seeks help, man gets mystical amulet, man seeks resolution. It works very well, and this movie has great acting in it. Consider it a corporate werewolf flick, a more mature look at the beast in all of us.
Classy horror flick
posted on 20 Sep 2007Look in the bushes! Is it a dog? Is it a cat? No, it's Wolf, brilliantly portrayed by Jack Nicholson. By day, a mild-mannered senior editor at a book publisher who eschews pop culture for quality work; a man who would never publish such trash as "If I Did It" (Youdid it OJ, be a man and admit it). His job is being lost to a suck-up (James Spader) to the mega-media baron (Christopher Plummer) until he discovers his new powers that came as a result of being bitten by a wolf. Discarding his wife, who is having an affair with Spader, he hooks up with the moguls daughter, the luscious Michelle Pfeiffer, who he charms in the Jack Nicholson way.Now, I have to ask here, how does Nicholson get all those great lines to woo the babes? I remember when he used that famous "You make me want to be a better man," in As good as it Gets. Well, there is an equally great one in here: "I've never loved anybody this way. Never looked at a woman and thought, if civilization fails, if the world ends, I'll still understand what God meant." I am going to have to start collecting these to try out.The film had some great acting, some great writing and great music. I was really very watchable as horror flicks go - no nasty scenes.How does it end? You know that someone has to get bitten, and someone has to get their throat ripped out, but you have to watch it to see who.
Unnescessarily maligned, enjoyable film
posted on 07 Aug 2009"Wolf" is a pretty nice and surprising werewolf film.**SPOILERS**Traveling through Vermont, publisher Will Randall, (Jack Nicholson) is bitten by a mysterious wolf and returns home to New York. Worried that an upcoming takeover from conglomerate-head Alden, (Christopher Plummer) may take out his co-workers Stewart Swinton, (James Spader) and Roy, (David Hyde-Pierce) with him, he is then asked to be transferred to Eastern Europe to head the company there but can't make the decision. Meeting his young daughter Laura, (Michelle Pfeiffer) at the reception party, he suddenly becomes aware of changes that are coming out behaviorally and physically. As they get more pronounced, the two begin a romance by finally confessing his fears. Convinced he's becoming a werewolf, despite everyone else around him, he soon transforms into the creature and begins a reign of destruction around the city, causing everyone to catch on and launch a full-scale search to bring him in.The Good News: When this one tried, it wasn't all that bad. There's some really nice werewolf action in here that's quite entertaining. There's a really nice scene where the werewolf stalks and then tracks down and devours a deer inside a forest at dawn, which makes it look completely serene and quite mystical. The film also has another great sequence where the werewolf attacks a gang in a flurry of violence, which is the single most violent act in the film and is quite exciting to watch. The big highlight is the duel between the werewolves, which starts out in a barn full of spooked animals, continues out into the open and finally concludes on the adjoining grounds of the house. This is a pretty nice brawl, which goes from wrestling to beating with local objects and several more things that really come together in a great sequence. Throw in some violence, including a really brutal pitchfork across the face that unleashes as much blood as it's going to include. The fact that the werewolves themselves give themselves away here with a rather creepy eye-effect that has been done many times before but comes across nicely here and really works for the film. The other thing that the film does well is that it contains a rather believable scene that explains the werewolf. This is one of the best of all time, and really makes the film all that much better for it. These here make the film all the more watchable.The Bad News: This wasn't that bad, but still contained a few flaws. One of the film's main problems is that it never really feels like a real horror film. It's way too polished-looking and not at all that sleazy, even though it tries to be that way. There's the night-time excursions into the woods to prey on animals, which doesn't seem like it could fail but it comes off as simply laughable. The kills are all mostly off-screen and not at all that gory at all, which all just barely manages to contain any gore at all. The film is even quite low on shock jumps, and although there are a few, this here doesn't really want to concentrate on them. These are all quite extreme examples of the film never really feels too much like it wants to be a true horror film. The film plays with them pretty much throughout, but it looks as though there's never any intent to really use them seriously. There's even a sense of it being so low-key during it's horror elements that there's never really any excitement derived from them. These are what's wrong with the film.The Final Verdict: While not the most perfect werewolf movie, this is at the very least watchable and got in some nice scenes as well. Recommended to those who love werewolf films or like classy horror films without much horror, while hardcore horror fans might find it's non-horror elements to be it's down-fall.Rated R: Graphic Language, Violence and mild violence against animals