Cry_Wolf (2005)

Want to start a rumor?

Owen Matthews (Julian Morris) is a student at a new school and thinks he’s found his in with the “cool kids”.  When the group decides to make up a rumor about a serial killer after hearing about the murder of a townie, the Wolf is born.  Unfortunately, someone is taking the rumor of the Wolf and turning it into a reality.  As more and more of the story the Wolf begins to become true, Owen begins to suspect his new friends could be behind the deception or even worse that a real killer has taken up the game where they left off.

Regardless how the movie is, you get Bon Jovi!

Written and directed by Jeff Wadlow, Cry_Wolf is a teen based horror mystery thriller.  The film was made in part on funds won by Wadlow at the 2002 Chrysler Million Dollar Film Festival where he won $1,000,000.  The movie received low to average reviews.  Originally receiving an R-Rating, the film was edited down to a PG-13 rating with an unrated version released which restored the original footage.

I was prepared to be completely bored and underwhelmed by Cry_Wolf.  It seemed (from description) a tedious teen horror film that had little substance.  I was surprise to find myself a bit entertained by the film which is mystery based and though it was a rather obvious twist, it still was fun.

The Wolf is coming!

I’m a sucker for mysteries and “last man standing” type horror films.  This is one of those type films with the characters being bumped off one-by-one by an unknown assailant.  The movie’s script wasn’t horrible, but I would have liked to be a bit more raw and edgier.  If it had pushed a bit more, I think this film would have done better.

The movie really doesn’t have much of a cast.  It is regular “fresh faced teen” type of movie that banks on the hope of one of the teens skyrocketing. Jared Padalecki was just start his run in Supernatural, and that is as good as it gets.  Like most school movies, there is a bankable teacher…here you get Jon Bon Jovi.  For some reason, this just made the movie more fun to watch (plus the ending becomes more ironic).

Soooo…I’m going to have to go. There’s a killer waiting to kill me

*****Spoiler Alert***** The movie is built around a twist.  Much like the ’80s film April Fool’s Day, the whole thing turns out to be a prank, but unlike April Fool’s Day, the prank goes wrong.  Owen is set up by Dodger (Lindy Booth) and her friends.  The irony I mentioned is that when I learned Jon Bon Jovi was in the movie, I asked a friend if it would be funny if he ended up “shot through the heart” and the kid was to blame…and that is exactly what happened.  The movie added a bonus twist which also seemed obvious by red herring hints that littered the script.

Cry_Wolf should have been gory and rated R, but even the edited version is pretty tame.  It is a quick, simple and fun little movie that got missed by most and maybe deserves a second chance.  It isn’t the greatest horror film you’ll ever see but it doesn’t take itself too seriously and is fun as a result.