disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW -- A Compelling Blend of Family Drama and Horror-Comedy

10/7/2020

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Actor/filmmaker Jim Cummings made a huge splash on the indie scene with his critically-acclaimed dramedy Thunder Road, and so fans have eagerly been awaiting his follow-up, the horror-comedy The Wolf of Snow Hollow. A fun and loving tribute to slasher horror and werewolf movies alike, this is a very satisfying indie genre picture.

The film follows a small-town police officer whose personal and professional lives are thrown off-balance when the town is stricken with a series of brutal murders that some begin to suspect were committed by a werewolf. Cummings does a very good job writing a script that is both a send-up to the classics of the genre and a satisfying mystery in its own right.

Admittedly, the pacing does lend itself to the final act of the movie feeling a bit predictable. The first hour or so moves along at a wonderful and lively rhythm, but the attempts at twists in the third act play out in a way that feels somewhat telegraphed, causing the resolution to feel somewhat underwhelming. 

That said, even if the core story may have a few shortcomings, its character arcs are extremely compelling. One of the most interesting things about the film are the parallelisms that are drawn between the protagonist’s relationship with his father and that he has with his teenage daughter, making this into a moving family drama in addition to its werewolf horror core.
Picture
Additionally, the movie is a deconstruction of toxic masculinity. Although this leads to a few narrative decisions that are over-the-top and some jokes that are a tad on the tone-deaf side, Cummings soon finds his footing and delivers some interesting commentary, particularly in the second act, which is particularly profound. 

Cummings’s performance takes a bit of time to get used to, as his arrogant and depressive take on the archetype is initially grating until the character becomes a lot more empathetic, at which point the nuance in his performance becomes more evident. The true standout, though, is the late Robert Forster in his final on-screen appearance, giving an enjoyably hammy performance. 

The film also looks very good in an aesthetic sense. The way in which Cummings shoots the kill scenes is designed to emphasize suspense in a very old-school and retro way. We don’t see the monster until it is absolutely necessary, which both minimizes the movie’s dependence on special effects and allows the viewer to buy into the mystery element.

The Wolf of Snow Hollow is an enjoyable throwback to the classic films of the horror genre. And even though it gets off to a bit of a rocky start, Jim Cummings is able to overcome these brief stumbles to deliver a mostly satisfying watch.

The Wolf of Snow Hollow hits theaters and VOD on October 9.

​Rating: 4/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About