Wolf Garden – Movie Review (2/5)

WOLF GARDEN is a new horror movie. An intriguing concept that doesn’t quite succeed. Unfortunately, the casting of the main character just doesn’t work. The indie and low-budget horror movie is coming out on Digital and VOD. Read our full Wolf Garden movie review!

WOLF GARDEN is a horror low-budget horror movie coming out on Digital and VOD. With the word “wolf” in the title and the talk of a “creature” and “the next full moon” leads to the inevitable conclusion; This is a werewolf horror movie. And it is, but one that offers a different and intriguing spin on the werewolf story.

WANT MORE WEREWOLF MOVIES

There’s the new Netflix movie Viking Wolf which offers another new take on the subgenre here >

Unfortunately, the movie itself falls a bit flat due to the casting of the main character. And he’s portrayed by the writer and director of the movie, so maybe he should’ve left the acting to someone else. Just focus on making a great movie by having the best possible cast for the story.

Continue reading our Wolf Garden movie review below. Find it on Digital and VOD from February 28, 2023.

Beware the full moon

In Wolf Garden, we meet William (Wayne David) hiding in the countryside. He’s staying in a nice place, so it isn’t all bad. However, the horrifically and violent events that led him to hide out there, are definitely bad.

As William struggles with accepting reality, we see a story told in a multitude of ways. We always follow William, but he flashes between past, present, and fantasies that involve the woman he loves, Chantelle (Sian Altman).

As this story evolves and we get closer to getting the full picture, we’re also constantly met with a never-ending task; William is always feeding a creature, he has locked inside a shed in the woods. Or really, what seems to be just outside the garden of his countryside hiding place.

William is later joined by a visitor who tries to push him into action—constantly telling William that he needs to kill the creature in the shed. And that he must do so before the next full moon.

Sian Altman is wonderful as Chantelle

As much as I do not enjoy Wayne David in the Wolf Garden starring role of William, I very much appreciate Sian Altman. She plays the role of Chantelle who is the great love of William. And while Sian Altman as Chantelle is very credible as being a loving and caring woman, Wayne David as William just isn’t.

That’s a much bigger problem when this is essentially a love story in many ways. Sure, it’s a horror movie, but any good horror movie needs to draw on your emotions. Whether it’s love between friends, family, or of a romantic variety, it needs to be believable.

William is a very flat and cold person in most scenes, which makes it very hard to understand why the wonderful Chantelle would be with him. Had William been portrayed by someone else – or just differently by Wayne David – this would have been a very different movie. And so much better for it!

Watch Wolf Garden on Demand or VOD

The new horror movie Wolf Garden was written and directed by Wayne David, who also stars in the movie. From what I can gather, this is the feature film debut of Wayne David on all counts. He has worked on short films and TV series, but not feature films. Or rather, he was in the 2018 romantic dramedy Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda, so he has a bit more acting experience.

Still, it probably would’ve been good for the movie, to have chosen someone else to star in the film. Doing it all is just too much. And with an idea and style that is intriguing in a slow-burn way, it’s a shame that the casting ends up being a downfall.

Also, selling it as a “unique new horror film in the tradition of It Follows” is definitely over-selling it. This isn’t like It Follows in any way, shape, or form. It is, however, unique in other ways, so that part is fair enough. Check it out to see a new indie and low-budget horror movie. Hopefully, you won’t be as distracted or annoyed by the casting as I was.

Wolf Garden is available On Digital and On Demand from February 28, 2023

Details

Director: Wayne David
Writer: Wayne David
Cast: Wayne David, Sian Altman, Grant Masters, Jake Wood