Newly released horror movies like "Game of Werewolves" boost up my confidence, hope and enthusiasm that the genre isn't – contrary to popular belief – dead and buried just yet! Even allegedly exhausted and old-fashioned themes, like for example werewolves, can still result in refreshingly original and terrific films; it all just depends on dedicated cast and crew members that demonstrate an obvious respect and worship towards the genre. Heck, "Game of Werewolves" even proves that it's very well possible to make a horror effort that is scary and gross but simultaneously funny and light-headed. Writer/director Juan Martínez Moreno, together with his excellent ensemble cast and crew, clearly has the right attitude towards the horror genre and obviously knows his classics. When he was present at the Brussels Festival of Fantastic Films to introduce the movie to the audience, he stated that he was fed up – like all the rest of us or at least me – with the nowadays portrayal of werewolves and intended to make them iconic monsters again. "Game of Werewolves" is first and foremost an ode to the legendary classic Universal horror movies, in terms of storytelling and atmosphere, and the immortal lycanthrope hits of the 1980's in terms of special effect and transformation make-up ("American Werewolf in London" and "The Howling" of course). I'm usually very skeptic when directors claim they want to revive traditional horror values, but Moreno is one of the first directors who actually deliver their promise! Straight from the moodily narrated opening sequences, you just know the film will be a genuine treat! The narration, guided by neat drawings, tells us about a malignant Duchess who lived in a small Galician town around the year 1900. She desperately wanted to have a child, but her husband couldn't give it to her, so she kidnapped and male-raped a handsome gypsy male that traveled through the region. After she was impregnated, the Duchess ordered the villagers to slaughter the father as well as his entire gypsy community to eliminate any link with the boy's father. Just before dying, one of the gypsy women cursed the Duchess and foretold that her son would turn into a werewolf at the age of 10 and he would terrorize the village for all eternity. The only way for the curse to break would be the sacrifice of a direct descendant of the Duchess. More than a century later, Tomas – a debuting author with a severe case of writer's block – retires to the area to work about a new novel. Little does he know that his great-aunt was the evil Duchess and that he will serve as werewolf bait to lift up the curse. This short description actually just illustrates a very brief part of the film. The story is much more convoluted and elaborated, but it's too much of a joy to discover yourself. Just know that the screenplay is very well-structured, coherent and waterproof. All the main characters are extremely likable, which is also a rare quality to encounter in horror movies, and there's a masterful interchange of sequences that are downright hilarious (the finger!) and sequences that are good old-fashioned scary and tense (the unfolding of the subsequent curse). The finale is grotesque and outrageous without becoming ridiculous and the unpretentiousness of it all is a great added value. The filming locations and scenery are perfect and hallelujah for the special effects. Damn all them films like "Twilight", "Underworld" and whatever else to hell
"Game of Werewolves" is the real stuff!
