All cheer (or howl
) for this brand new and instant horror gem! Every year there are hundreds of zombie movies being released and only very few of them are worth checking out. Every year there are several vampire movies being released and even less of those are worth seeing. Per year there are just a handful of werewolf movies coming out, so if you stumble upon a worthwhile one nowadays, you should really cherish it. But "Late Phases" is more than just a worthwhile werewolf movie
It's a fantastic and awesomely entertaining werewolf movie; arguably the best one since
I don't even know since when! To be honest, my personal expectations towards "Late Phases" were quite high from beforehand, because I've been following the work of the young Spanish-born director Adrián Garcia Bogliano and, so far, he didn't make a single bad movie. "Cold Sweat", "I'll Never Die Alone" and "Here Comes the Devil" are all terrific films. Of course, werewolf stories are tricky and this is also the first time that Bogliano directs a film that he didn't script himself, but still I was more than confident enough about the great potential of "Late Phases". But what makes this such a good effort, apart from Bogliano's skills and influence? Well, Eric Stolze penned down a sublime screenplay that is original, innovating, suspenseful, fast-paced and – most of all – traditional! Yes, "Late Phases" is finally another movie that respects the old-fashioned werewolf trademarks (full moons, silver bullets, etc
) without serving them as dull clichés or in a satirical way. Ambrose McKinley, a blind and deeply embittered Vietnam veteran is dropped off by his son Will at Crescent Bay; a quiet community where elderly folks enjoy their retirement and that is located next to a large forest. During his first night already, the friendly neighbor Dolores is savagely ripped to pieces and also Ambrose himself and his loyal guide dog Shadow are attacked by a gigantic wolf creature. It turns out that residents of Crescent Bay are killed off on a monthly basis, but everyone assumes that animals from the woods are responsible and they aren't the police's priority. Moreover, the deputy even literally states that animals are God's way to help the world getting of old people! That's nice! Ambrose links the monthly attacks to the full moon and promptly begins with counterattack preparations. Meanwhile, he gets to know the rest of the neighborhood – or better yet, potential lycanthropes – in his own rude and offensive style. Another thing that "Late Phases" features for the first time since many, many moons is a truly awesome lead hero. Ambrose McKinley, as depicted by Nick Damici, is one cool dude. He uses a shovel as a cane, buys massive tombstones for his dead dog, smokes cigarettes with the local priest and nearly switches off the iron lung of one of his neighbors. Last but certainly not least "Late Phases" also contains plentiful of great gore and make-up effects, coming from specialist Robert Kurtzman. The werewolf transformation sequences are sublime and the carnal damage caused by these delightful creatures is even better. See it!
