“Out Come the Wolves” is a gripping survival horror that bares its teeth, but not before enveloping viewers in thoughtful character drama.
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Adam MacDonald’s Out Come the Wolves (2024) is a chilling survival horror that sinks its teeth into viewers with its slow-burn tension and raw, visceral thrills. Building on the success of his earlier works, Backcountry (2014) and Pyewacket (2017), MacDonald delivers a film that’s both a taut thriller and a nuanced character study.
It starts with a stunning sequence that quickly reveals that our characters’ world is about to be turned upside down.
The film follows a trio of friends – Sophie (Missy Peregrym), her boyfriend Nolan (Damon Runyan), and her lifelong best friend Kyle (Joris Jarsky) – on a weekend getaway at a remote cabin that goes terribly wrong.
Nolan is writing an article about hunting. Sophie comes from a long line of expert hunters. However, she’s recently given up the bloodsport and turned vegan, no longer able to morally reconcile the act of killing innocent animals. She invites Kyle to her family’s cabin so he can teach Nolan how to hunt.
The chemistry between the old friends is palpable, triggering Nolan’s jealousy and calling Kyle’s real intentions into question—especially once we learn he’s recently split from his girlfriend, who was supposed to accompany him for the weekend.
It seems Kyle may be harboring an old flame for his beautiful bestie. So, when Nolan blurts out that he and Sophie are engaged, it exasperates an uncomfortable situation.
It’s tense as hell, and we haven’t even gotten to the carnivorous canines we came for.
Out Come the Wolves is essentially split into two distinct parts.
The first half resembles a chamber piece, delving deep into the relationships and tensions between our three protagonists. This approach, while potentially divisive for some viewers expecting immediate action, allows for rich character development that pays off in spades during the film’s intense second half.
When the wolves finally make their appearance, the film shifts gears dramatically.
MacDonald’s decision to use real wolves instead of CGI lends authenticity to the terrifying encounters, though it occasionally results in some choppy editing during attack scenes. Despite this minor drawback, the wolves are legitimately threatening, and the survival sequences are nail-bitingly tense.
Cinematographer Norm Li captures the beautiful yet unforgiving wilderness with stunning clarity, creating a palpable sense of isolation.
The practical effects, particularly in the aftermath of the wolf attacks, are visceral and impactful, with one shot near the film’s end standing out as particularly haunting.
When the wolves come, they come out of nowhere, arriving where they shouldn’t be and attacking with an uncharacteristic ferocity. In reality, wolves are generally not vicious and are far more likely to avoid humans than attack them. Yet, they are fierce when threatened by another predator competing for precious resources.
And wolves aren’t the only predators lurking in these woods.
At its core, Out Come the Wolves is a meditation on the nature of predation – both animal and human.
The film cleverly subverts expectations set up in its first half, using the established character dynamics to create surprising twists in the latter part of the story. It’s a nuanced exploration of man’s true, primal nature.
The metaphor extends to gender dynamics as well, with the film touching on the predatory games men play and the constant vigilance required of women in both emotional and physical survival.
This adds depth to what could have been a straightforward survival thriller.
While Out Come the Wolves shares thematic similarities with MacDonald’s excellent debut Backcountry in its exploration of man versus nature, it stands apart in its more complex character dynamics and metaphorical depth.
Just before things turn terrifying, there’s a pointed conversation about how significantly our choices shape life. The film deftly explores the relationship between bad choices and dire consequences, making it a richly satisfying narrative.
In most survival horror films, nature is savagely indifferent to humans, and the horror feels both random and nihilistic. Here, human decisions alter the landscape; ego, bravado, impatience, jealousy, cowardice, and cruelty are met with gruesome retribution.
While it may not be as action-packed as some genre entries, its emphasis on character development and slow-burn tension sets it apart.
The film rests heavily on the strength of the performances and the complex dynamics between our leads.
Fortunately, everyone in Out Come the Wolves is more than capable of delivering what’s needed to sell the simmering tensions and emotional complexity. Runyan and Jarsky are intensely compelling as two jealous men competing for their prized female’s affection before being thrust into a horrific fight for survival.
However, Peregrym truly shines as a woman drawn back into the world she left behind to save the two men she loves most. Her internal struggle and fierce determination in the face of danger anchor the film’s emotional core.
All three actors make the peril feel believable, with performances that make you feel every ounce of anguish and fear from their harrowing predicament.
Out Come the Wolves invites comparisons to other survival horror films like Adam Green’s Frozen (2010) or Joe Carnahan’s The Grey (2011) but carves out its own niche with its unique blend of love triangle drama, survival horror, and social commentary.
Written by Enuka Okuma, with MacDonald and star Jarsky sharing “story by” credit, Out Come the Wolves is a satisfying entry in the survival horror genre that delivers both visceral thrills and thought-provoking themes.
While its pacing may not work for all viewers and the tonal shift between its two halves can be jarring, the strong performances, beautiful cinematography, and clever use of metaphor make it a worthy addition to any horror fan’s watchlist.
MacDonald continues to prove himself as a director to watch in the horror genre, crafting films that are as intellectually engaging as they are terrifying.
Overall Rating (Out of 5 Butterflies): 3.5
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