Out Come the Wolves

by Mike McGranaghan

Even if you never intend to set foot in the woods, director Adam MacDonald will make you fear getting attacked by wolves. That’s how terrifying sections of Out Come the Wolves are. MacDonald previously did the same for bears with his harrowing Backcountry. This new work operates on two levels, as the characters are also wolves in their own way, and they come out looking for blood.

Nolan (Damon Runyon) is a writer learning to hunt for an upcoming story. His fiancée Sophie (Missy Peregrym) arranges for her lifelong best friend Kyle (God’s Country’s Joris Jarsky) to join them at an extremely remote cabin to teach him the ins and outs. Tensions arise when it’s revealed that Kyle is no longer with his girlfriend. Nolan assumes he has plans to put the moves on Sophie, knowing those feelings have always been there. And Kyle is not exactly shy about making his interest known.

That set-up paves the way for Out Come the Wolves to have serious stakes. When Nolan and Kyle go out in the woods together, we don’t know what will happen – except that they’ll definitely be attacked by wolves. Those attacks are stomach-churning, not because they’re excessively graphic but because MacDonald stages them in an appropriately frenzied manner that conveys their swiftness and brutality. How the men respond to being preyed upon stems from their previous interactions, leading to human drama that matches the visceral thrills.

Sophie comes front and center in the last half-hour. Her actions also spring from the uncomfortable dynamic between her, her husband, and her friend. The guys may be competing for Sophie, yet this smart, savvy woman is determined to choose her own path. When she heads into the woods, armed with a bow and arrow she’s very skilled at using, the drama cranks up a notch as we wait to see what her response will be to what she discovers.

Out Come the Wolves is anchored by Missy Peregrym’s fine performance. The actress is inherently likeable and credibly tough, the latter of which becomes important during the third act. Runyon and Jarsky are good, too, but it’s her work that’s at the movie’s core. This is ultimately Sophie’s story. Peregrym hits the right emotional notes so that the character’s eventual trek into the woods brings her arc to a satisfying conclusion.

The film runs a tight 86 minutes, so it moves at a breakneck pace. Not a single second of time is wasted on anything unnecessary. Thrills in Out Come the Wolves are abundant. Watching the picture without having your heart race is nearly impossible. The interpersonal angle gives you a reason to care while your nerves are being frayed.

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