Based on the video game of the same name, Werewolves Within<\/em> is set in the small, remote woodlands community of Beaverfield, where everyone is on edge following a string of violent events. Residents were already divided over a proposed pipeline, which promised to bring industry and more people to the picturesque winter town. Resentments fast mutate into suspicion once the power goes out, a beloved dog goes missing, and a human corpse is found. With a blizzard making the only road out unpassable, all are trapped together in a cozy bed-and-breakfast turned death trap. And it\u2019s up to one man to make sense of the chaos\u2026 which might include a werewolf running wild. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, this would be a cool but quirky detective \u2013 a Hercule Poirot, Phryne Fisher, or Benoit Blanc. Here, it\u2019s a hapless park ranger, new to town and sugary sweet in disposition. Sam Richardson (Veep<\/em>) stars as Finn, who listens to self-help tapes about confidence, can\u2019t take the hint that his girlfriend has dumped him, and waxes rhapsodically about snow shows. Essentially, the screenplay by Mishna Wolff paints him as the \u201cBeta Male,\u201d dreaded by conservative talk show hosts for his presumed inability to lead or save the day. How can this Beta possibly defeat an Alpha Wolf? Possibly with a little help from his friends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Josh Ruben, who made a splash with his hilarious horror-comedy Scare Me<\/em>, directs Werewolves Within<\/em>, tapping into his established history in comedy and television to secure an exciting ensemble of character actors. Michael Chernus and Catherine Curtin of Orange Is the New Black <\/em>pop up as a handsy neighbor and a chipper bed-and-breakfast owner. Funny or Die<\/em>\u2019s Sarah Burns and Crashing<\/em>\u2019s George Basil play a pair of crass mechanics. 30 Rock<\/em>\u2019s Cheyenne Jackson teams with What We Do In The Shadows<\/em>\u2019 Harvey Guill\u00e9n to portray a posh and pretentious gay couple. Trophy Wife\u2019s <\/em>Michaela Watkins burns with hysterical rage as the resident busybody, whose long list of demands includes an unadulterated adoration of her cringe-worthy craft projects. (Angels made from toilet paper rolls. Oh my!) All of the above bring untamed energy and a goofy gameness to scenes of socially awkward humor or caterwauling in horror. Then, there\u2019s Milana Vayntrub, who brings a smirking sex appeal as Cecily, the local mail delivery person who aids Finn in his investigation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each skilled in making the most of a moment or any chance to snatch at the spotlight, this cast hums with potential in the jaunty first act of setup and wackiness. Unfortunately, Wolff\u2019s script lets them down. There\u2019s just not enough terrain to keep things interesting. The characters are so thinly sketched that even writing the descriptors above was a challenge. Stock characters in whodunnits are part of the game, bringing fun with audience anticipations and surprising subversions. But Wolff doesn\u2019t nail the characterizations, so it\u2019s hard to have expectations. Perhaps this is why the cast turns their characters into a collection of crude gestures, snarling tones, and cartoonish mugging. They don\u2019t feel like people, so the stakes of life or death don\u2019t stick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ruben has more success with Richardson and Vayntrub, as an early hangout scene at a shuddered bar allows the pair to create a fuller picture of Finn and Cecily along with the spark of a could-be romance. In a town of misfits and misanthropes, these two click. The chemistry crackles like this is a rom-com from the mid-\u201890s, and it\u2019s a juicy thrill to enjoy. Richardson exudes warmth and a sharp comedic timing, while Vayntrub brings a Garofalo-style combativeness, an intoxicating mix of cynicism and pluck. It\u2019s a shame the script lets them down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Crucial clues are dropped way too soon, while potential red herrings barely have a chance to sink in before they\u2019re killed (and thereby cut from the list of suspects.) If you suspect you\u2019ve got this game figured out early, you probably have \u2013 which means the fun of the mystery is spoiled, leaving the comedy and scares to satisfy. The comedy works in spurts, propelled by the bombastic spins of this collection of charismatic character actors. The scares are non-existent. There\u2019s mood and shadows, sure, but Ruben develops little dread. Kills are often kept offscreen, which keeps the tone light. Without the tension that serious scares can bring, the climax is robbed of any sense of suspense. Still, delivering some long-awaited werewolf spectacle in a playful\u2014although\u2014clunky final battle, it is entertaining, and worth the wait. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For the first half of Werewolves Within<\/em>, Ruben is in his comfort zone. He retreads the setting of his directorial debut with its remote cabin and collisions of darkly funny strangers on a cold, spooky night. However, his sophomore effort lacks the sharpness of the Scare Me <\/em>script, which he wrote. With more characters who too-soon spill out of the cabin (or spacious winter B&B), Ruben can\u2019t wrangle the storytelling, jokes, and scares as successfully. The second half meanders from locations and characters, bleeding tension along the way and losing a grip on what might have made this awesome. What could be a stellar showcase\u2014for Ruben and his cast\u2014instead feels like an improv show on an off night. Essentially, Werewolves Within<\/em> is fun without ever rising to frightening or frightfully funny. “Werewolves Within” is in theaters Friday and available on demand on July 2.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/werewolves2-1024x683.jpg\")
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