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Wolfen

Play trailer Poster for Wolfen R 1981 1h 55m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 48% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
New York City police investigator Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is trying to solve a series of grisly deaths in which the victims have seemingly been maimed by feral animals. He teams up with expert criminologist Rebecca Neff (Diane Venora), and together they stumble upon a band of inner-city Native Americans, led by the streetwise Eddie Holt (Edward James Olmos), who warns Wilson and Neff about a wolf-like, mythical creature that could offer a shocking solution to this disturbing case.
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Wolfen

Wolfen

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Critics Consensus

Police procedural meets werewolf flick in Wolfen, a creepy creature feature with a surprisingly profound side.

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Critics Reviews

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Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness Jul 3, 2005
C+
Some sort of mixed-up commentary on gentrification. Go to Full Review
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Oct 23, 2004
3.5/4
Love, thought, care and craftsmanship have gone into this film. Go to Full Review
JoAnn Rhetts Charlotte Observer Mar 18, 2026
"Wolfen" takes it self much too seriously. Go to Full Review
Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Jan 7, 2026
it is so technically adept and genuinely scary that you can easily ignore the tepid, undeveloped love affair between Dewey and Rebecca. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Nov 30, 2023
4/5
...a big, meaty studio movie with lots to say about how the worship of money turns us against each other…Wolfen is a great, neglected, intellectual horror film that should be a must on any fan’s wish-list….’ Go to Full Review
Phil Edwards Starburst Jul 27, 2022
Wolfen is not a werewolf movie. Exactly what it is I'm not sure, but don't let my uncertainty put you off what is, for the most part, an enjoyable film. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Mike P @RT09890132 23 hrs ago Sluggish mystery about strange lycanthropic humanoids attacking random New Yorkers in the fall of 1980. Detectives Albert Finney and Gregory Hines investigate. Some good scenes, but this needs more of an edge; more bite. This was part of an early eighties werewolf minicycle; but The Howling and American Werewolf in London easily outclass this. See more B P @Bradster69 Sep 3, 2026 Not Bad, but Not My Favorite See more Farah R. @Farah Feb 16, 2026 Boring, long, and uninteresting, Wolfen fails to offer a compelling story that’s also an allegory for gentrification. It’s not scary enough to be a horror movie, not exciting enough to be a crime thriller, and not good enough to watch. See more Blu B @RT43513976 Jan 23, 2026 It's 70% gritty police murder investigation and 30% a horror fantasy movie. How someone decided this was a good combo is kind of weird and what's just as odd is it's actually half decent all around. Finney is great in this and probably the best thing. It's a slow burn type of flick and like Jaws we literally don't see the wolves until the final 30 minutes or so. So it does keep your interest and ironically enough the hard nosed police investigation scenes are the best parts. The scenes where we actually focus on werewolf stuff and the lore, and the villians is all....alright I guess. The villians are super forgettable, the crazy god like mythos is just kind of crazy and just doesn't fit for a film that takes itself so seriously and is grounded and gritty. That was my biggest issue. The more it gets into that 30% horror fantasy stuff the weaker it gets. It should've done it in a more grounded way like a vaccine trail gone wrong. The films police story parts can also get a little meander See more Stephen C @bob25009 Oct 28, 2025 Success in 1 hour and 55 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ages 17 and older!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Ronald F @RT59759922 Apr 13, 2025 I love the scenes, Finney and Hines have together and that this is the only feature film Michael Wadleigh made after "Woodstock". Even if the effects today feel totally dated, they give the movie a unique charm and work well with the depressing atmosphere of New York City in the early 80`s. Albert Finney is brilliant and I could watch and listen to him the whole movie, even if nothing else would happen 🙂 See more Read all reviews
Wolfen

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Movie Info

Synopsis New York City police investigator Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is trying to solve a series of grisly deaths in which the victims have seemingly been maimed by feral animals. He teams up with expert criminologist Rebecca Neff (Diane Venora), and together they stumble upon a band of inner-city Native Americans, led by the streetwise Eddie Holt (Edward James Olmos), who warns Wilson and Neff about a wolf-like, mythical creature that could offer a shocking solution to this disturbing case.
Director
Michael Wadleigh
Production Co
Orion Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 24, 1981, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 29, 2012
Runtime
1h 55m
Sound Mix
Surround
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