Werewolf Island

Director - Michael James Alexander 

Starring - T.J. Storm (Monsters and Fables, Moving Parts), John Wells (Star Wars: Hand of the Empire, The Possessed), and Michael James Alexander

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "This legend has bite"

Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     It's not often that I get a werewolf flick in for review but when I do I get too excited to check them out.  Wild Eye has released several awesome, and a few not so awesome, werewolf flicks over the years so when I see they have their hands on one I have to check it out.  A few weeks ago I saw that Wild Eye was releasing the 2020 film Werewolf Island which was originally titled The Legend of Dog Lady Island on DVD.  I wanted to check it out so I reached out to my friends over at MVD who was handling this release for Wild Eye and they were kind enough to send a copy my way.  Thanks guys!

     The film begins with a young couple visiting an island that is the home to the dog faced lady urban legend.  That night they are attacked and barely make it out alive.  They panic and call the young man's uncle who is a detective where they tell him about their encounter.  He is reluctant to believe them but starts doing some digging on the island and the rumors surrounding it where he discovers that something sinister has been calling the island home for sometime now.  

     I was really excited to check this one out but it was quick to let me know that I wouldn't enjoy it.  The movie struggles in a lot of aspects and it is very clear that they bit off way more than they could chew (pun intended).  It is a very bold and ambitious film but lack of funds and experience really made this one fall flat before it even gets started.  The acting in this one is pretty rough.  I've seen million dollar blockbusters and no budget back yard flicks but the acting in this one is some of the worst I've seen.  The acting is very inconsistent.  We get some of the cast that is extremely dedicated to their roles while others lazily go through their dialogue.  It made for the story, which was already difficult to sit through, feel even longer.  I don't know the circumstances for which this was filmed but I get the feeling that some of the cast didn't want to be there.  The story for this one really lives up to it's original title of Legend of the Dog Lady Island.  It's not a werewolf film in the classic sense but it is something very different.  With that being said, the movie tries to do too much with very little.  I loved the idea of the period pieces during the flashbacks.  It shows that a lot of thought went into the production.  Sadly, these flashbacks feel rushed and out of place at times while the "modern" segment of the film moves at a snails pace with no real story to tell. If this was properly done it would have been one hell of a movie but as it is it's a tough one to finish.  Finally, the film isn't as bloody or gruesome as you would expect from a werewolf flick.  We do get some decent make-up effects and a little blood here and there but that's the extent of it.  Overall, Werewolf Island has an interesting idea but its poorly executed. I would really like to see what the filmmaker had in mind compared to what we actually get.  However, the movie as it is needs to be skipped.   I can recommend dozens of other Wild Eye releases to check out over this one.