Title: TEEN WOLF Rating: ***1/2 (out of 5)
This film would have probably been released on TV or direct-to-video, were it not for Michael J. Fox in the title role as a teenager with the usual high school problems (trying to get accepted, in love with a shallow blond, yearning to be something more than average, has a childhood friend who loves him, but is drawn back because he is not mature enough to know looks aren't everything). In the midst of all this, he discovers he has the mark of the werewolf (!), which he, in turn, uses to solve all his problems. Hailed has an instant dud at the time of its release in 1985, though it became a surprise hit at the box office because of the other Fox movie that year. Its success spawned a sequel and a TV series, though this is the only one of the three that matters (at least to its fans). Like most people, I grew up watching this people, though I recorded off TV, and I recently bought it on DVD and was surprised at the amount of drinking, drug use, profanity, and sexual innuendo is present (that scene in the dressing room was rather obligatory). Still, this film is nothing more than a guilty pleasure, a film with so many bad qualities, yet people love it anyway (thier excuse...how can you dislike a film like this?). I agree. As a comedy, the film isnt uproarious, though it certainly has its moments. The cast is energetic and likable for the most part; aside from Fox, we have funny turns by Jerry Levine as Fox's buddy who uses his image for financial gain, James Hampton is sincere as his father, Susan Ursetti is charming as his child hood friend, but some of the best scenes belong to comedy writer Jay Tarses, who steals nearly every scene he's in as Fox's athletic coach.
The film suffers because of its cliches, sadly...I mean, who did NOT predict the resolution?...though, the film is still entertaining and fun on a certain level. If anything, its certainly a relic of the 80s and like many other films I consider guilty pleasures (i.e. Howard the Duck, Perils of Gwendoline in the land of the Yik Yak), the film is admittedly reeks of bad production values and poor writing and directing, though for the many people who love Fox (like me) and grew up watching it (like me), you simply dont care. P.S. It may be just me, but when I saw the film on DVD after I saw Spider-man, Fox's father says "With great power comes great responsibility"....did Spider-Man rip that off?????...LOL
Fav. Quotes: "Hey, do you anything of a rash that's going around?"
"An explanation is probably long overdue."
This film would have probably been released on TV or direct-to-video, were it not for Michael J. Fox in the title role as a teenager with the usual high school problems (trying to get accepted, in love with a shallow blond, yearning to be something more than average, has a childhood friend who loves him, but is drawn back because he is not mature enough to know looks aren't everything). In the midst of all this, he discovers he has the mark of the werewolf (!), which he, in turn, uses to solve all his problems. Hailed has an instant dud at the time of its release in 1985, though it became a surprise hit at the box office because of the other Fox movie that year. Its success spawned a sequel and a TV series, though this is the only one of the three that matters (at least to its fans). Like most people, I grew up watching this people, though I recorded off TV, and I recently bought it on DVD and was surprised at the amount of drinking, drug use, profanity, and sexual innuendo is present (that scene in the dressing room was rather obligatory). Still, this film is nothing more than a guilty pleasure, a film with so many bad qualities, yet people love it anyway (thier excuse...how can you dislike a film like this?). I agree. As a comedy, the film isnt uproarious, though it certainly has its moments. The cast is energetic and likable for the most part; aside from Fox, we have funny turns by Jerry Levine as Fox's buddy who uses his image for financial gain, James Hampton is sincere as his father, Susan Ursetti is charming as his child hood friend, but some of the best scenes belong to comedy writer Jay Tarses, who steals nearly every scene he's in as Fox's athletic coach.
The film suffers because of its cliches, sadly...I mean, who did NOT predict the resolution?...though, the film is still entertaining and fun on a certain level. If anything, its certainly a relic of the 80s and like many other films I consider guilty pleasures (i.e. Howard the Duck, Perils of Gwendoline in the land of the Yik Yak), the film is admittedly reeks of bad production values and poor writing and directing, though for the many people who love Fox (like me) and grew up watching it (like me), you simply dont care. P.S. It may be just me, but when I saw the film on DVD after I saw Spider-man, Fox's father says "With great power comes great responsibility"....did Spider-Man rip that off?????...LOL
Fav. Quotes: "Hey, do you anything of a rash that's going around?"
"An explanation is probably long overdue."
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