Hello again, horror fans! Welcome to another edition of Underrated Horror Movie of the Month! Here is a quick breakdown for the newcomers. Every month, on the second and fourth Fridays, I come here and talk about a horror film that I feel is underrated and underloved. The chosen movie may be from any subgenre, timeframe and country. The sky is the limit (yes, you may see space horror). In this edition, I am talking about the last addition to a well-known franchise from 2011, The Howling: Reborn. Stick around to find out why I think you should give this movie a chance.
About The Howling: Reborn
Will (Landon Liboiron) is finally graduating after a forgettable high school existence. It seems his life is moving in a better direction as he connects with his longtime crush Eliana (Lindsey Shaw). The eve of Will’s graduation also happens to be his birthday. When he turns 18, everything begins to change. Suddenly, Will is stronger and faster. Before long, Will discovers that he is transforming into a full-fledged lycanthrope. Unfortunately, his werewolf family is about to barrel back into his life.
RELATED: Underrated Horror Movie of the Month: Better Watch Out
The Howling: Reborn stars Landon Liboiron, Lindsey Shaw, Ivana Milicevic, Jesse Rath, Niels Schneider and Frank Schorpion. Joe Nimziki directed the film. The screenplay is by James Robert Johnston and Nimziki. This movie is based on the novel The Howling II by Gary Brandner. The runtime for the film is one hour and 32 minutes.
Fun Fact: Landon Liboiron also played a werewolf in the first Netflix original, Hemlock Grove.
Fun Fact: In the credits, you will see a line that reads, “No werewolves were harmed in the making of this film.”
The Howling: Reborn has a 17 percent Tomatometer Score and a 19 percent Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes.
My Thoughts
I have a soft spot for werewolf movies. Some of my fondest memories come from watching Universal’s The Wolfman with my grandfather, who introduced me to the horror genre. His favorite horror subgenre was werewolf movies. I do not think there was a single one he didn’t watch, and of course, I was right beside him for every single one. After The Wolfman, which held top billing, he loved The Howling and its sequels.
RELATED: Horror With a Side of Cheese: The Gingerdead Man
To this day, I question what made him like that series of movies so much. I find them more funny than scary (especially the third one). However, when a new addition to the franchise arose in 2011, I had to watch it.
As always, I have been perusing reviews so that I can talk about some of the most common complaints. The first thing I want to address is the werewolves. I saw several comments about how bad the creatures looked, with one saying they looked more like “wererats.” My only response is, have you seen the other movies in the franchise? The Lycans in this film are top-notch compared to the earlier movies. The ones in the third movie have pouches like kangaroos, for goodness sake!
The next point I want to discuss is the comments saying it did not make sense that Will never transformed before turning 18. Umm, did you watch the movie? The reason behind this is clearly and satisfactorily explained. I won’t say how because of spoilers, but I urge you to re-watch.
There are several other common complaints, but the last one I want to address is the comparison with Twilight. I will admit there is a fair amount of teen angst thrown into the mix. However, that and the premise revolving around supernatural creatures is where the similarities end.
RELATED: Every Friday the 13th Movie, Ranked
Finally, I want to say that the acting is superb, which is something many of its predecessors cannot say.
Final Thoughts
Does The Howling: Reborn compare to An American Werewolf in London or Ginger Snaps? Absolutely not, but it is better than all of the other Howling films, except the original.
There you have it, horror fans, another underrated horror movie in the books. Have you seen this one? Let me know in the comments! Also, let me know which movie you think I should feature next! Until next time, stay spooky and watch more horror movies!
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/movie-review-ravens-hollow/
- Horror With a Side of Cheese: 3-HEADED SHARK ATTACK - August 11, 2024
- Underrated Horror of the Month: HANSEL & GRETEL GET BAKED - August 1, 2024
- Underrated Horror Movie of the Month: THE SKELETON KEY - July 18, 2024
