First off, Howl is less of a horror and more of a suspense/drama movie, but in the best possible way, (I say so as someone who doesn't typically like those genres). If you're looking for countless jump scares, gratuitous nudity, and idiots being ripped to shreds, then look elsewhere. But if you want an immersive setting with believable characters, and unique looking monsters that are both savage and intelligent, then I recommend seeing this movie. What follows is as spoiler free as I can get, and I've chosen to break the film down into sub-categories for convenience.
First, the Plot: A train guard by the name of Joe is pushed into working an extra shift on an overnight train through the English countryside, after being rejected for a promotion. Along the way the train hits something, rendering it inoperable, with help being hours out due to numerous downed trees. During this time, the commuters become increasingly restless and wish to leave on foot, until a mysterous predator makes itself known and the passengers and crew are forced to barricade themselves inside the train, while coping with the stress, and trying to decide the best course of action. While the plot is simple, it allows for some deceptively deep character building, as well as suitable demonstration of the creatures acting as antagonists.
The Setting: The setting is mostly on a train, but also includes the exterior, the nearby forest, and- to a much lesser degree- the train station, which primarily serves to initiate and settle the narrative, given that the two primary characters- Joe the guard, and Ellen the stewardess- are both employees of the railroad company. The setting is actually very effective as it's limited, allowing the viewer to worry about the characters, dialogue, action, story progression, etc., while also providing the characters with a terrible choice: stay in the moderately protected train, albeit having many windows and weak spots, or flee to the exterior and wilderness, dark and unknown, with civilization only being a few miles away. The exterior atmosphere benefits from fog effects and gnarled trees, befitting of a werewolf movie, and the interior is claustrophic, contrasting the sense of protection the train offers, with the reality that something could break a window and reach in at any moment.
The Antagonist(s): Werewolves, obviously. But these aren't just any werewolves. Superficially, these creatures are a unique and grotesque combination of man and beast, that differ greatly from the upright canine type, (see Dog Soldiers or The Howling), and are also different from the classic "Wolfman", i.e. fanged, furry humanoid. Without spoiling their appearence, as it is teased and reserved with good effect in the movie, these things have features both bestial and human, and at once appear robust and fit, yet have features that come off as sickly and wild. In many respects, they resemble something suffering from gross genetic defects more than a healthy hybrid that leans more toward human or wolf. That being said, the beasts sport considerable strength and agility, (although most is implied and offscreen, enabling limited use of CGI or clumsy special effects), and scrutiny of their actions reveals intelligence and planning, right down to the end of the movie, that complements their cruel and savage behavior. As far as movie werewolves go, these are quite high up on my list due to their unsettling appearence combined with what seems to be an enigmatic, but clearly sadistic thought process.
The Characters: Possibly the strongest asset to this movie is the cast, and the way their characters progress throughout the movie. While the characters mostly fit into your cliche stereotypical forms, (nerdy guy, business woman, wealthy womanizer, fat slob, uptight posh elderly couple, disrespectful youth, etc.), they quickly outgrow these boxes and become proper three-dimensional characters, with dialogue, emotions, and behavior that changes throughout the story. Perhaps to a fault, the movie doesn't immediately introduce you to the characters by name, (even to the point of captions listing some by their archtype such as "Assertive Man", 2/3 of the way through the movie), but instead allows you to get to know the characters, first, which comes off as natural. What starts out as a group of self-concerned strangers, with petty issues and no names, morphs into individuals who, (mostly), increasingly work together and become familiar with one another as the night goes on. That being said, each character still reacts differently and intelligently under different circumstances, ranging from cowardace to rage or simply freezing up when the tension is high. A woman who may show maternal aggression when the beast has yet to show itself, may be rendered helpless when the full threat is revealed; a man who showed strength against a monster, may be brought to guilt over prior inaction, leaving himself vulnerable. In these ways, the characters come off as real and not just fodder for a monster. To that end, each character is well-acted and substantial to the point that the viewer is left guessing as to who will live and who will die, if any.
In conclusion, Howl is a horribly under-rated movie, in my opinion. It isn't without error: there's a dog onboard the train that just vanishes after being shown one time, there really isn't a score to speak of, some of the werewolf sounds are stock coyote, wolf, etc. noises, and in one scene the werewolf magically starts his attack from below the train, only to then shift to the top. These types of issues aside, the film is a breath of fresh air from what is, otherwise, the red-headed stepchild of the horror genre: werewolf films. And that's already taking into consideration that the horror film industry is flooded with B-rate exploitation work. This is, most certainly, not one of those films. If the sequals were held to this quality, I would be quite happy seeing Howl becoming a franchise, although I doubt that that will happen. All the same, hopefully you'll enjoy it too; it's part of Prime Video, so be sure to check it out with your subscription.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card
Frequently bought together
$8.91
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
Only 8 left in stock - order soon.
+
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Similar items that may ship from close to you
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Reviews with images
Howlingly good movie!
I'll first say that I live---here, in Germany---less than an hour from THE Frankenstein Castle Ruins; Werewolf loreoriginated south of me in Bavaria's, so-called, "BLACK FOREST", and was elaborated upon by Universal Studios.I am an AVID Werewolf movie collector. I've got them all. "Wolf Man"; "Howling"; "American Werewolf in London;"...in Paris"; "Dog Soldiers"... to "Howl". Many recent incarnations have been dead-awful. I loved t-h-i-s one!I haven't seen a Werewolf film AS good in many of my, passed, 67-years. I am a rather large man, myself, as youcan see from my attached photo. I thought I was TOO tall to be a wolf man, but the "lead-wolf" in THIS movie ap-pears to be about MY size. I paid a boot maker GOOD money to make my Frankenstein boots lift me up to 6'11"...The story (95% in/outside a three-car train) is about a train conductor and a handful of---often---obnoxious passen-gers that get stuck in the middle of a "Black" Forest when their train breaks down after hitting a very large deer.The plot-line is average but with a very scary, possibility... WITH several werewolves. "Well done!" to first-timedirector Paul Hyett. A replica of a three-car train was made from WOOD---watch the making-of featurette!---in whichyou can watch as it is pulled apart inside a large warehouse [with a man-made forest] when the shoot was over.The werewolves are alarmingly real-life characters, and, s-c-a-r-y.The first 15-minutes of the film is prepatory to getting into the conductor's mind-set. He's a meek man that finds an Ego.His life will be changed, forever.
Top reviews from other countries
JairHCastillo
Buena y no tan conocida
Reviewed in Mexico on April 30, 2024
JairHCastillo
Reviewed in Mexico on April 30, 2024
Images in this review
AJFerris
Very very scary highly entertaining movie
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 14, 2024juan carlos
De maravilla
Reviewed in Spain on July 26, 2023
juan carlos
Reviewed in Spain on July 26, 2023
Images in this review
