Director – Michael Taylor Pritt (Fun Time, Are We the Waiting)
Starring – Michael Taylor Pritt, Alana Mullins, and Rob Pemberton (Miles Before Sleep, Are We the Waiting)
Release Date – 2017
Rating – 2.5/5
Tagline – “The darkness has bite”
It’s not often that I get to review a no budget werewolf flick. Wild Eye has released a few over the years but they are few and far in between. Sometime back I received the werewolf flick Night Howl from director Michael Taylor Pritt. Pritt has worked with several filmmakers and artists from within West Virginia but I’m uncertain if he is a West Virginia native or not. Regardless, I couldn’t wait to check it out. Thanks Wild Eye for sending this one my way!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a photographer who is struggling with his mental health. As a child he watched his mother’s death at the hands of a wolf-like creature. Now, several decades later, he finds himself haunted by those images. When those around him are found mauled he starts to suspect that the creature responsible for his mother’s death is back. **Spoiler Alert**
Indie filmmakers face a lot of obstacles but many are able to overcome them to deliver a memorable no budget horror film. Werewolf flicks are tough to tackle on their own but many have been able to pull it off. Werewolf Fever, The Snarling, Wolfcop, and so on are all indie horror productions that were able to pull of a werewolf flick. I was very excited to see what Pritt contributed to the sub-genre. The film was far from perfect but did have it’s moments.
The acting in this one has room for improvement. I’ve watched movies made with a zero dollar budget by teenagers so I’m not comparing the acting in this one to a big budget production. I’ve seen indie productions with some of the best acting I’ve ever seen. Night Howl has a cast that really believes in what they are trying to achieve but their inexperience in front of the camera does come off as awkward.
The story for this one has me sold until the final stretch of the film. I’m trying not to spoil too much but I really wanted to love this one. I know several people that Pritt had worked with in the past and we even share a connection through Steve: Death Collector. I was grip and did set design for a few scenes and he voiced a character. I really wanted to like the story but the ending “twist” was obvious and the entire tone of the film is washed away with the reveal. The build up really works like a straight forward werewolf film but the little nods to the real twist is obvious and definitely makes it obvious.
Finally, the film has several deaths. Most of the kills takes place off screen but the make-up and practical effects we do get looks great. Sadly, I can’t say the same about the werewolf. Budget restrictions are one thing but the werewolf is just silly looking. Overall, Night Howl is a very tough sit but there is several redeeming moments scattered throughout. It may not be something you revisit but it should at least be seen one time.
