Viking Wolf (2022) Movie Review - Should Werewolves Be This Dull?
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at Norwegian Werewolf movie Viking Wolf. I actually watched this movie a few weeks ago and, for some reason, reviewing it completely slipped my mind. That might speak to some of the issues with this movie. Viking Wolf is a painfully average, forgettable, monster horror.
I was, honestly, pretty hyped for this movie as I am a really big fan of Scandinavian horror. Norway and Sweden have put out some of my favourite movies of all time. They have a real knack for creating dark, gritty, horror that really gets in your head. Movies like Let The Right One In and The Innocents stand out as very memorable examples.
Combining realistic settings and folk legends with traditional horror themes, you are always in for something interesting. I was hoping for more of the same with Viking Wolf. Unfortunately, what I got was a very boring horror movie with little to recommend. Let’s take a look.
Viking Wolf – Drama Laden Werewolf Horror
Viking Wolf follows the story of young student Thale. After recently moving to a new town with her parents. Thale attends a party with a group of kids from her school. While there, she witnesses a girl being viciously attacked by something. While attempting to rescue the girl, Thale receives a small wound. As the residents of the small town attempt to solve the mystery of who attacked the girl. Thale begins to experience bizarre events, events that may hint at the truth behind what happened to her.
So Viking Wolf walks a fairly familiar and well trodden path; that of the young girl transforming into something unfamiliar. Somewhat reminiscent of movies like the well loved Ginger Snaps or, even, the decent Scandinavian werewolf horror When Animals Dream. You can probably already tell that this is a rather allegorical tale of growing up and the changes our bodies go through. Unfortunately, Viking Wolf has absolutely nothing to add to this well worn genre. It brings nothing new to the table yet steals from plenty of plates.
Whereas movies like Ginger Snaps and When Animals Dream had something to say. Viking Wolf is somewhat muted and doesn’t do anything to differentiate itself from the crowd. What’s worse is that it forgoes practical effects based human to wolf transformation sequences in favour of abysmal CG. How can you take away one of the best parts of werewolf movies and throw in a crappily animated wolf? Awful! Viking Wolf is far more interested in plodding along as a run of the mill coming of age drama than really getting into the meat of the horror. A crying shame!
Lacking in Werewolf Thrills
The slow, drawn out, focus on the everyday stuff wouldn’t matter if the werewolf thrills were of a high standard. Unfortunately, that just isn’t the case. Borrowing liberally from every other major werewolf movie ever, Viking Wolf does absolutely nothing new. The werewolf elements really take an age to get going and, when they do, they are incredibly low stakes. Characters never feel at much risk, there isn’t a great deal in the way of scares and everything is very predictable.
The lacking character development makes it difficult to care about anyone. On top of that, there is an overly keen focus on light detective TV show style investigations into the murders taking place that feels rather slow and a bit out of place. By the time the movie finally threatens to actually get going, we are thrust back into more drama. The laborious story of Thale’s everyday life drags its feet throughout. Subjecting the viewer to half baked romance subplots, the likes of which would feel more apt in a teen movie. Nothing meshes all that well and the uneven balance makes staking interested a bit of a chore.
A Disappointing Creature Design
Perhaps Viking Wolf’s biggest downfall comes in the presentation of its monster. As mentioned above, Viking Wolf abandons the one thing that might have elevated it above boring drama horror. Instead choosing to opt for PlayStation 3 levels of CG. Whereas other movies take tremendous pride in their presentation of all kinds of creatures wild and wonderful. Painstakingly crafting something designed purely to haunt your dreams. Viking Wolf takes the easy way out and presents us with an uninspired design that demands no attention at all.
The CGI here is pretty bad as well. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the film-makers saw the crap CGI in Troll Hunter. Looked towards each other and said. “See, the CGI doesn’t have to look good if the film is interesting!”. The problem is, Viking Wolf isn’t anywhere close to as compelling as Troll Hunter was. What you are left with is a slow moving movie with a monster that looks pretty damn bad. If this was a Sharknado style film, that wouldn’t be a problem. But it isn’t. It is a horror film that takes itself as seriously as your doctor telling you that you might want to sit down while he tells you your most recent blood test results. Big mistake and yet another reason to not recommend Viking Wolf.
A Few Positives
There are a couple of positive points. Acting is generally great throughout. Despite being given a very typical role of a moody, somewhat aloof, teenage girl. Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne does a nice job making the character relatable. I am including her middle names here purely because one of them is Welsh; I am Welsh and Welsh stuff makes me happy so, yeah. She is really good and obviously buys into the role. I enjoyed the dynamic between Thale and her sister, played by Mia Fosshaug Laubacher, as well. It made for some interesting and touching interactions.
Liv Mjönes, as Thale’s mother Liv, is really decent too. It’s cool to see a woman leading the investigations and presented so strongly. I could see this type of role being flipped in a US horror and given to a man. Mjönes does a good job. She helps keep you invested in the tiny amount of meat on the bones of the story here. Everyone else is fine. All the actors seem invested in their roles and play it very seriously. Despite the slightly silly subject matter and rather farcical plot.
There are a few decent moments of dry humour, something that the Norwegians seem to do very well. If you can get past the overly familiar and well worn story elements. There is a fairly interesting drama here that some may find enjoyable. The cinematography is fine. Some of the lighting is quite nice, particularly toward the end of the film. The gorgeous Norwegian scenery looks fantastic. Unfortunately, the camera never really makes the most of it. A slight question mark left at the end of the movie potentially opens the door for a sequel. I just hope the director and writer choose to do something more creative and take some more risks. Viking Wolf is about as plain of a werewolf movie as you can get.
Should You Watch Viking Wolf?
Viking Wolf is a very middle of the road and rather dull werewolf horror that should only be watched by people who really enjoy coming of age drama or are desperate for a werewolf flick. Choosing to portray itself as more of a familial drama with crime investigation elements. This is a movie that does very little with a very old and very tired formula. Keen to offer itself as something of a Ginger Snaps for the 2020s. Viking Wolf instead feels slow, boring, and rather difficult to engage in and, what’s more, it dares to insult the viewer with a terrible CG wolf and no cool transformations. Very disappointing.
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Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.
A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.
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