Alpha Wolf (2018) User Reviews

But these were weregerbils...

[paul_haakonsen · 3/10 · 29 December 2018]

I stumbled upon "Alpha Wolf" by utter random luck. I saw that it was a werewolf movie, and I saw that Casper Van Dien and Patrick Muldoon were together again in the same movie, so of course I wanted to watch "Alpha Wolf".

Well, a werewolf movie might be stretching it a bit far, because the were-creatures looked nothing like wolves, actually more like weregerbils. Yeah, they looked like hybrids between humans and gerbils. It was just such an eyesore to witness.

The storyline was fairly simplistic and easy to follow, but I can't claim to say that the storyline was interesting. It made for a less than mediocre movie experience, and "Alpha Wolf" offers nothing to the genre that hasn't already been done or seen before. Well, I stand corrected, because apparently if a canine is bitten by a were-creature, it can changed into human form from dog form come full moon. Are you bloody serious? That was the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in a werewolf movie.

The movie had a very small cast ensemble, which means that the actors and actresses had even more riding on their shoulders in terms of carrying the movie. So did they manage to do so, No, not really. The characters were flaccid and not particularly interesting. And to be honest, then the actors and actresses had very little material to work with here.

For a weregerbil movie, then "Alpha Wolf" could have benefitted from a more elaborate and costly CGI budget. They had some CGI effects in the movie, they served their function, sure, but they weren't convincing. It was actually the practical effects that won the contest here.

"Alpha Wolf" is not the type of movie that you will watch more than once, provided you manage to get through it the first time around.

A Decent Film Until the Final 30 Minutes

[Uriah43 · 3/10 · 24 August 2021]

This film begins with two hunters out in the woods late at night when they hear a growling noise nearby. Not being very intelligent they decide to disregard it and continue along their way. Neither of them live to see the morning sunrise. The scene then shifts to a young man named "Jack Lupo" (Casper Van Diem) his wife "Virginia Lupo" (Jennifer Wenger) driving along a winding road looking to spend some time together in a remote cabin in the woods. Along the way they stop at a small country store where Jack proceeds to ogle one of the female customers and almost start a fight with another man. Although Virginia doesn't care for his alpha male tendencies they eventually make up that night at the cabin only to be attacked by a large animal not long afterward. The very next day Jack begins to act rather strange and it's then that Virginia begins to realize the type of person she has recently married. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I really enjoyed this movie up until the last 30 minutes or so when the plot took a definite turn for the worst and everything came crashing down immediately afterward. To that effect, I'm not sure what the director (Kevin VanHook) was thinking but perhaps he should find another line of work because his decision-making skills in the motion picture industry are definitely in need of some serious improvement. That being said, I have rated this movie accordingly. Below average.

Watchable For The B-Movie It Is

[jackseney · 5/10 · 26 September 2019]

"Alpha Wolf" has all of the low-budget eccentricities that those of us who are B-movie fans like. There are lovably bargain-basement werewolf costumes and there is amusingly awkward acting and there are nice California countryside settings. What more could a bad movie fan ask for?

Over-aggressive Casper Van Dien and his wife and their dog are going up the country to re-connect with nature and with each other. Before long there is a werewolf attack, Van Dien gets bit and all low-budget lycanthrope hell is breaking loose.

Van Dien's real-life wife Jennifer Wegner carries much of the movie, even as she struggles with a script that contradicts itself on how long she's known Van Dien's character! Van Dien himself turns out to be playing such a jerkoff that even fellow werewolves can't stand him, and only Wegner's dog Larry is loyal and trustworthy.

While bad CGI (is there any good CGI?) is used for fires and such, good old practical effects are used for the werewolves and in the violence scenes and there is some blood-splash here and there, a heart gets ripped out, a guy gets brained with a hammer and so on, with the gore shown briefly and the violence on the moderate level. There is also a jaw-dropping surprise involving were-transformations that I'll let you see for yourself. Even though it has a "You've got to be kidding me" quality to it and should have been done better, I don't believe any other moviemakers have ever used this idea, so "Alpha Wolf" deserves credit for that.

Other than that, characters regularly contradict themselves here and the script seems to have been written by utter amateurs who never even bothered to double-check it. Luckily this becomes part of the fun and one soon begins to sense the ghost of Ed Wood hovering around.

Even the fact that the real-life couple Van Dien and Wegner's love scenes are actually awkward, or that Van Dien appears to have had plastic surgery, does not detract from, but adds to the overall enjoyable air of B-movie angst. You know who you are if this sounds like something for you, so head on over to You Tube or Hulu to catch it!

Dreadful and not even funny

[retrolover-77047 · 1/10 · 2 March 2019]

The writing sucks, Casper van Dien couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag - and this isn't even one of those horror movies that's so bad it's funny, it's just bad. Verdict: Ninety minutes of your life you'll never get back.

Cheapest production quality.

[rohitchetryfeb · 5/10 · 6 April 2022]

The storyline was okish rather than an eye pleasing one like the name of the movie. Second part is this movie was created with just 200$ or something. Thirdly, damn the kissing and sex scenes just don't stop.

Overall, i would like to rate 50-50 to this movie and won't recommend you to watch the movie. Just my opinion tho.

Dumb werewolf movie

[dctr666 · 1/10 · 29 November 2018]

This movie is bad... Very bad... Bad cgi, bad make-up, bad story, bad acting... There's a reason why Casper Van D. never made it to the A-list, and this is one of the best examples... Man, this is really bad... Run away......

Bad

[alhajhusseinkhaled · 1/10 · 4 February 2019]

This is really very bad movie ...boring...acting not good ...bad boring story ...it deserve less than one star as rating

I liked it but then again I'm really into werewolf, vampire, witch movies so I recommend it

[lovettstough · 10/10 · 23 February 2019]

I really really liked this movie but then again I'm really into werewolf movies, vampire movies, witch movies, etc. I pretty much like them all because even before movies and television it makes me wonder where did these legends, ideas of any of these types of things originate? There is absolutely no proof that they are not real or that they are real. I'm personally inclined to think they are or were real. That's why I watch as many of these types of movies and t.v. shows as I can. To me this might be one of the better ones because they are out in the middle of nowhere. I really really liked it and recommend it. To each their own though.

Cabin-in-the-woods werewolf flick in rural SoCal with Casper Van Dien

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 9 November 2021]

A man & wife (Van Dien & Jennifer Wenger) retreat to a vacation house in the arid backwoods outside L. A., but run afoul of a werewolf-like creature. Once someone is bit all hell breaks loose on the full moon. Patrick Muldoon and the hulking Robert Allen Mukes are also on hand.

"Alpha Wolf" (2018) is surprisingly good for what it is, a TV-budget werewolf flick, which pretty much meshes "Dire Wolf," aka "Dinowolf" (2009), and "Wolves" (2014). If you appreciate those ones, you'll like this too. Like "Dire Wolf" it's mostly serious but with a fitting wink of amusement. The alpha male angle is intriguing and the script even throws in something original for a werewolf movie in regards to the curious naked dude (Tyler Gallant).

One eye-rolling sequence involves the couple's first assault by a hairy man-like creature. They brush it off as if a normal animal radically attacked them when it's glaring that it's ANYTHING BUT. If you can roll with this flaw (and the CGI gore), this is a worthwhile werewolf flick that should be enjoyed by anyone who values Grade B horror, especially the cabin-in-the-woods variety, whether the antagonist is a werewolf, sasquatch, slasher, bear or otherwise.

While petite Jennifer Wenger is perfectly agreeable as the female protagonist, Raquel Woodruff stands out in the beauty department; too bad her part wasn't bigger. Regardless, it's nice to have a director (Kevin VanHook) who knows how to photograph women for a change (and I'm not tawkin' bout nudity, although Raquel has a top nude scene for those who care).

Casper & Jennifer were married five months before the movie's release. Meanwhile Van Dien and Muldoon appeared together in the cult flick "Starship Troopers" (1997).

The film runs 1 hour, 25 minutes, and was shot in Southern Cal at Topanga Canyon, Acton and Ramona (Exteriors & Woods).

GRADE: B.

Bad, cheesy movie!

[rollie1976 · 1/10 · 3 October 2019]

Movie sucked! Acting sucked too! I regret watching this movie! Lol

what?!!

[harlean-98092 · 1/10 · 19 December 2021]

This was the worst werewolf movie in creation. Totally laughable. I have never seen a more ridulous movie in all my life. Lon chaney would roll over in his grave, Don't waste your time.

Terrifying!

[jcallender121 · 1/10 · 3 June 2023]

I don't know what Universe this wheely bin of a film is set in but I've never been so confused in my life. I love crap horror films but I think this tragedy was taking itself seriously! Everything and I mean everything about this skid-mark of a movie is thoroughly frightful, the characters are hateful vomiting out absolute nonsense, when you can actually hear them because the sound seems to have been recorded in 1974 and the story was obviously crayoned on a nursery wall, then simplified and stolen by the writers. The only hope I was loosely holding onto was a heroic hound called Larry who was being set up throughout to save the day,,, but they even ruined that, I wont attempt to describe it because I'm not sure it actually happened, and there's no way I'm watching that again to find out.

Land of the Lost bad

[kirkendog · 1/10 · 1 February 2023]

Bad acting is 1 thing but the supposed werewolves costumes were horrible. Kids could have come up with better designs.

The guy was a sleaze ball but he wasn't the only problem in that relationship. The girl cared more about the dog than him, I think he was jealous of the dog which drove him to pursue other women.

Comments to reach the ridiculous 500 characters:

Bad acting is 1 thing but the supposed werewolves costumes were horrible. Kids could have come up with better designs.

The guy was a sleaze ball but he wasn't the only problem in that relationship. The girl cared more about the dog than him, I think he was jealous of the dog which drove him to pursue other women.

Not even Beta

[kosmasp · 3/10 · 20 October 2022]

No pun intended - and I really like Casper van Dien. I mean he was in freaking Starship Troopers, one of the best Science Fiction movies of all time. But this is a long shot away from that. And I reckon if you saw this movie first - like if this was your first impression of him ... you may not think too highly of him. Go watch Starship Troopers is what I am trying to tell you.

And it is not just because of any effects (quite decent for a low budget movie actually) ... or the fact that many things do not make sense! Acting choices or him turning up with his pants but without shirt, when he should be without clothes ... like not have any on him ... for reasons. But I guess the pants had to be there - not just rating wise. And he still should show off his upper body (kudos by the way, he is not the youngest and yet has stayed in shape).

If all this does not interest you ... well ... the movie will not get more interesting! Story wise there is not much and the characters are quite weak ... well strong in wolf form, but that is a different story ...

Did this movie have investors?

[chris-mcclure1916 · 1/10 · 11 October 2021]

I've never "critiqued" a movie on here before but I'll set my drink down and tell you what a ridiculous piece of cinema this is. Honestly this is what we have to offer to mankind? We label this a "werewolf" movie? A horror movie? Or hell a "movie"? Bro. You bought your werewolf costumes at Party City. Casper Van Dien is the man, don't get me wrong, but why? We the people need to start asking questions like: "Why am I watching this?" "I deserve better." "Who backs a production like this with actual money?" "Should I stop drinking and get ready for work?" Long story short, this movie is embarrassing. Even cheesy horror movies get better reviews than this. I'm sorry man. I don't buy it that you actually put forth effort into this movie.

what the heck.. i liked it

[enoranohobi · 8/10 · 22 November 2018]

This is the first review I'm writing here.. and this movie is not boring. It was simple and ok. sometimes the decision made in the movie was silly.. but that's all there's to it. I recommend it for anyone who wants something with a little adrenaline

Alpha Wolf is a high quality movie.

[ervinhawkins · 10/10 · 3 April 2024]

The movie was great from start to finish. The acting, scene-selection, storyline, suspense, special effects, background music, and the hot chicks, etc were outstanding. I especially loved how the movie educated the audience on the kindred spirit/primitive nature of the werewolf and its alter ego, as does, the pilot episode of the Incredible Hilk series. It's the best werewolf movie I've ever seen and I've seen a lot of werewolf movies. I'm a hard critic and I must say, that this low-budget movie should have made it to the big screen. It's a lot better than other movies that have made it to mainstream theaters. I give it 5 bright stars🐺 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

One time watch movie

[amninder-52069 · 6/10 · 14 November 2018]

I would say it was not boring.one time you can watch if someone feel bored.