Review: Warmly satirical Werewolves Within is comic horror with a heart

After so many years of zombies dominating the horror genre, it’s nice to see the classic werewolf making a comeback. Last year’s sleeper indie film  The Wolf of Snow Hollow was a wry, clever take that mixed elements of Fargo, Scooby-Doo, and the lesser-known 1981 film Wolfen. And now we have the horror comedy (emphasis on the comedy) Werewolves Within, loosely based on the Ubisoft multiplayer VR game of the same name. I’m happy to report that the film is a worthy successor to the GOAT of the genre: 1981’s An American Werewolf in London.

(Some minor spoilers below but no major reveals.)

This is only the second feature film from Director Josh Ruben, who cut his teeth making viral video shorts for College Humor. His first feature was last year’s winsome Scare Me, about two writers holed up in a remote Catskills cabin who compete over who can tell the scariest story. Ruben, who is also an actor, wrote and co-starred in that film (opposite Aya Cash, whose portrayal of Stormfront was a highlight of The Boys S2). Scare Me earned positive reviews for its witty script and creative camera work, among other strengths. So when Ubisoft was looking for a director for its film adaptation of Werewolves Within, Ruben seemed an obvious choice.