Monday, August 20, 2018

ANOTHER WOLFCOP: A LONG AWAITED RETURN? SURE!



Yes, it is indeed a long awaited return! At least for fans of the original Canadian production WOLFCOP. If you missed that film then by all means find a copy and watch it so you can at least get an idea of what to expect here and a bit of backstory. If you haven’t seen it police officer Lou Garou (Leo Farad) is an alcoholic cop by day and crime fighting werewolf officer by night.

The legend of the Wolfcop filters through the town of Woodhaven but new police chief Tina signs it off as hysteria. Sure she knows he’s real and that Garou is indeed the heroic Wolfcop but why let on?

This time around our hero is confronted by a big business tycoon with evil intentions on the small town. As the brewer of Chicken Milk Stout he’s saved the city from financial ruin by placing his brewery there. In addition to that he’s about to open their new hockey rink in town (hey, the film IS Canadian). Mayor Bubba (played by Kevin Smith, yes THE Kevin Smith) loves the drink and the tycoon. But something is afoot. It seems that the drink being brewed actually changes people into alien style critters. Chest bursters can be found among those who drink the beverage religiously including the mayor.

Enter Officers Tina and Wolfcop as they try and figure out what is taking place. To aid Wolfcop they had to bring back his best friend Willie in spite of what he did in the first film (I’m not saying what that was). Willie gives Wolfcop some advice but realizes he’s in over his head so he calls in reinforcements, his sister Kat (Serena Miller). With a knowledge of the occult that exceeds Willie’s she helps them find out what is taking place.

If that weren’t enough she also adds the sex appeal of the film. It turns out that Kat is also a werewolf! Rather than have Wolfcop seduced by a human this time he ends up in bed with Kat after she’s changed. Yes she’s presented in all of her costumed prosthetic glory with six fur covered breasts and all. This scene has to qualify as the most unusual in a film this year.

Eventually a face off must happen and of course it does with all parties on hand to duke it out in the aforementioned hockey rink. Buckets full of blood flow and limbs fly and the ending is exactly what was to be expected before anyone ever placed this disc in a player or the film hit the screen.

The thing is even knowing for the most part what’s coming it doesn’t matter. This film is not about cinematic art, it’s not about an attempt to create something that grandparents will pass on to their children when they reach a certain age, it’s about having fun. It’s about letting go of any preconceived notion of film as art and drenching oneself in the blood soaked glory of exploitation film making. This film offers that outlet for fans who at one time lined city blocks hoping to catch the latest exploits of the Toxic Avenger and who have since pledged allegiance to the Wolfcop!

One thing that can either make or break a movie like this is of course the special effects make-up. If the Wolfcop looks like a guy in a rubber mask with hair pasted on using Elmer’s glue then you’re in trouble. Fortunately that’s not the case. The Wolfcop makeup is actually quite good and allows plenty of facial expressions to be seen. The wolf woman makeup is also well done and honestly while we’re watching sex scenes doesn’t overly expose much.

The acting here seems a bit more well done than the first film and the inclusion of Smith as the mayor was a nice surprise. That someone with the clout of Smith would take the time to do this for a fellow film maker says a lot about the man.

The gore effects are once again done by the gallon as if there was a discount of the fluid when purchased in bulk. But that too is okay since that’s the type of movie we’re talking about here. This isn’t a Spielberg film where the gore is intended to make you uncomfortable, this is gore that’s intended to make rowdy drunks at late night screenings cheer with delight. It delivers that cheer.

ANOTHER WOLFCOP will not be a movie that’s meant for everyone and that should be obvious from the title alone. But gorehounds, horror fans and those who love a slightly goofy flick with a different take on what it takes to make a monster will love this movie. Those will be the same people who cheer at the end when the words “Wolfcop will return” scroll up. 

No comments:

Post a Comment