Viking Wolf (2022) Review – A Toothless and CG-Heavy Werewolf Drama
Viking Wolf: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A disappointingly sterile addition to the werewolf sub-genre that prioritises mundane family drama over genuine horror. While Viking Wolf attempts to follow the “elevated” path of films like Ginger Snaps, it lacks the allegorical depth to make the transition meaningful. The reliance on uninspired, low-quality CGI over practical effects is a major detriment, stripping the creature of its menace against the beautiful Norwegian backdrop. Strong performances from Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne and Liv Mjönes keep the film grounded, but they cannot save a script bogged down by slow detective subplots and predictable tropes. This 2 star effort is a safe, middle-of-the-road production with very little innovation. Those seeking a visceral lycanthrope experience will likely find this plain offering more boring than blood-curdling.
Details: Director: Stig Svendsen | Cast: Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne, Liv Mjönes, Arthur Hakalahti | Runtime: 1h 37m | Release Date: 2022
Best for: Viewers who enjoy Scandi-noir procedurals with a light supernatural twist and slow-paced coming-of-age stories.
Worth noting: Despite the title and prologue, the film has almost nothing to do with actual Viking lore, using the historical angle as a brief, largely irrelevant framing device.
Where to Watch: Netflix Exclusive
Rating: 2/5 Stars
(A well-acted but generic werewolf movie let down by poor CGI and a lack of narrative innovation.)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at Norwegian werewolf movie Viking Wolf.
Table of Contents
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.
“Viking Wolf walks a fairly familiar and well-trodden path. It is a rather allegorical tale of growing up, but unfortunately, it has absolutely nothing to add to this well-worn, mange-riddled trope.”
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, mange-riddled trope.
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. 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 staying 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.
“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.”
I couldn’t shake the feeling that the filmmakers 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.
“Viking Wolf is a very middle of the road and rather dull werewolf horror that should only be watched by people who are desperate for a werewolf flick.”
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. Cinematography is a strong point here and the movie frequently looks fantastic. Night-time shots are a great example of how dark scenes can still be lit effectively. Sadly however, Viking Wolf is about as plain of a werewolf movie as you can get.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Strong Lead Performances: Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne and Liv Mjönes deliver serious, grounded performances that elevate the material above its B-movie roots.
- Stunning Locations: The Norwegian scenery is captured beautifully, providing a cold and atmospheric backdrop that the rest of the film struggles to match.
- Dry Humour: Brief flashes of typical Norwegian wit offer a much-needed break from the otherwise overly serious tone.
The Bad
- Abysmal CGI: The werewolf itself is uninspired and poorly rendered, lacking the tactile terror of practical effects.
- Slow Pacing: The film spends far too much time on uninteresting family drama and romance subplots, causing the horror momentum to stall.
- Lack of Scares: There is almost no tension throughout the runtime, as the film follows a predictable path with very few surprises.
The Ugly: The Transformation. Or rather, the lack thereof. By relying on poor CGI instead of the traditional, visceral transformation sequences fans love, the film loses its core appeal.
Should You Watch Viking Wolf?
Probably not. It is a 2 star film that feels remarkably generic in a sub-genre that has seen much better iterations. While the acting is solid, the lack of scares and the disappointing creature design make it a difficult recommendation. If you want great Scandinavian horror, stick to Troll Hunter or Let the Right One In. This wolf is better left alone.
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