My History With the Film:
In the early 2000’s, there were several movies that came out by independent filmmakers that were released by bigger studios due to the filmmaker having won a special contest. Films like Feast and The Battle of Shaker Heights were made for Project Greenlight and Cry Wolf was part of the Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival.
Horror films are known for being cheap to make and usually have a good return on investment, so its not surprising that beginning filmmakers tend to lean towards horror. Not only that, there is a built in audience (as you probably know if you are reading this blog) and Cry Wolf was made to take part of that.
I watched Cry Wolf sometime around 2005-2006 once it hit DVD. If I’m not mistaken I actually bought the DVD while working at EB Games when someone traded it in. I went in with very low expectations and came out pleasantly surprised.
I’ve revisited the film a couple times since then and both times I’ve enjoyed it, although it does seem to be showing its age.
What The Film Is About (Non-Spoiler):
-This is a movie that was released in 2005 but feels like it should have come out in 2000 which makes me enjoy it more than I probably should.
-Lindy Booth (Dodger) makes this movie for me. Her performance as Dodger is scene stealing and she walks an very fine line of captivating and terrifying.
-Going for a PG-13 was actually an intelligent decision. The film doesn’t have that much gore and the kill count is very low, but the movie makes you feel like it’s so much more. I actually applaud the filmmaker for getting a PG-13 rating on this movie, and that’s not something I say very often.
-The score is simple, but I like it. It gives the movie a good vibe.
-Most of the characters are obnoxious, but that is the way they were written and it pays off in the end.
-I enjoyed the ending. It’s different and the screenwriter took a big chance with it and I think it works.
-Who knew Jon Bon Jovi could act?
What I Didn’t Like About It:
-This is the type of movie that’s hard to go back and watch again because of the ending.
-I’d argue this is more of a thriller than horror movie. It doesn’t go so much for scares as it does “Who done it?”
Additional Notes:
-This was director Jeff Wadlow’s feature debut. He won $1 million dollars at the 2002 Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival which he made Cry Wolf with.
-Was filmed at the University of Richmond in Virginia.
-America Online helped promote the film with an AOL Instant Messenger game where users sent messages to each other with some people being sheep and others wolves.
-Other Notable Horror Connections:
- Jeff Wadlow (Director): Truth or Dare (2018), Fantasy Island (2020)
- Jared Padalecki :Supernatural, House of Wax, Friday the 13th (2009)
- Lindy Booth: Dawn of the Dead (2004), Wrong Turn
Rating:
Cry Wolf is definitely worth a watch if you enjoy the teen movies of the late 90’s/early 2000’s. It doubt it’s going to be found on anyone’s top ten list, but the movie never overstays its welcome and is a very easy watch. I’d rate Cry Wolf as a three out of five and say it’s a high priority rental.