Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- eerie
- paranoid
- late night horror marathon
- 1980s genre film night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an atmospheric and unusually intelligent werewolf thriller, praising its visual experimentation and social undercurrents despite some uneven pacing.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dewey Wilson follows a chain of bizarre killings as a city police investigation gradually reveals wolf-spirit lore.
The murders intersect with New York City redevelopment and the displacement of communities connected to the wolf legend.
The film’s distinctive visual perspective evokes wolf perception and makes the city itself feel like a hunting environment.
The investigation depends on an Indian legend about wolf spirits and its relevance to present-day violence.
Films like Wolfen, and why
The Company of Wolves
urban supernatural investigation, animalistic violence, and ecological unease
The Howling
detective investigation fused with transformation horror and dark folkloric atmosphere
The Night Stalker
slow-building creature horror framed through police investigation and social paranoia
Manhunter
New York crime procedural atmosphere combined with disturbing supernatural menace
Movie Details
- Director
- Michael Wadleigh
- Release Date
- 1981-07-24
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (265)
Cast
- Albert Finney
- Diane Venora
- Edward James Olmos
- Gregory Hines
- Tom Noonan
- Dick O'Neill
- Dehl Berti
- Peter Michael Goetz
- Sam Gray
- Ralph Bell
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Wolfen about?
- A hard-bitten New York detective uncovers a predatory supernatural force behind a series of seemingly animalistic murders.
- What is Wolfen like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Wolfen as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Wolfen violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Wolfen as graphic.
- What did critics think of Wolfen?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an atmospheric and unusually intelligent werewolf thriller, praising its visual experimentation and social undercurrents despite some uneven pacing.
- Which films are like Wolfen?
- Films with a similar feel include The Company of Wolves, The Howling, The Night Stalker, and Manhunter.
- How long is Wolfen?
- Wolfen runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Wolfen?
- In United States, Wolfen is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
