Teen Wolf: The Movie
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
★★½
Description: LIFE UPSIDE DOWN - Still 5
Characters/Actors: Jeanie Lim as “Mrs. Wigglesworth”, Bob Odenkirk as “Jonathan”, Radha Mitchell as “Clarissa”, and Carl Alacchi as “Gallery Employee” in Cecilia Miniucchi’s LIFE UPSIDE DOWN.
Type: Gallery
Photo Credits: Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
Okay…listen. I watched the hell out of Teen Wolf back when it was on MTV. Like, to the point where I tried to find an old ‘80s model blue Jeep, I could drive around to be like Stiles. I loved the series and I forgave it of its flaws, even the egregious special effects, particularly in its freshman season. The new film, Teen Wolf: The Movie, is very similar to its television predecessor. It’s schlocky, campy, and ridiculous, which is all part of the fun. Yet, it's missing one big thing that its forefather had, Stiles Stalinsky.
Sure, Dylan O’Brian is a lot bigger of a name now than he used to be, so it's unsurprising, if not understandable, that he chose not to come back to do the movie version of the YA show that gave him his fame. But Stiles was the glue that always held the show together, he grounded it and gave you someone to root for. He was the audience conduit, and when you remove that piece from the board, you're left with pawns that can’t quite fend for themselves.
We get a bunch of returning characters and one returning villain. And the plot unfolds exactly how one of the show's weaker seasons would. So the movie is familiar, even when it disappoints. But honestly, what did we expect with a giant Stiles-shaped hole on our screens?
Despite how weird it is to see the once-teen stars entering their middle ages and turning into horny werewolves, the cast does exactly what you expect them to, and ultimately, it’s fine. It’s FINE. It’s not horrible. It’s not good. It’s totally, completely, and utterly fine. And if that’s all you want from one of your favorite childhood shows, then that’s great, because it is exactly what we are given. But, if you are looking for something that does more than just a limp coast on nostalgia, this might not be the sweaty, homo-erotic tv show turned movie for you.
