A paralyzed boy discovers that a werewolf is killing people
in his small town, and decides to stop the beast himself. HORROR
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Silver Bullet (1985)Directed by Daniel Attias
Written by Stephen King Starring Gary Busey, Everett McGill, Corey Haim, Megan Follows, Robin Groves, Leon Russom, Terry O'Quinn Based on the novella Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King |
I didn't particularly like Cycle of the Werewolf, the novella upon which this movie is based. Surprisingly, the film suffers from the same issues that plagued the story. The characters are flat, the villain is underdeveloped, and the movie ends all too abruptly. There's real potential here for watching a series of murders tear a small town apart or a chance to expand on the werewolf mythology, but the film opts instead for a traditional werewolf story that never goes anywhere. It did have its moments, though they were few and far between.
Corey Haim plays Marty, a paralyzed boy whose sister inexplicably hates him for being special. His uncle, Red (Gary Busey) is the only family who doesn't treat him like an invalid. There's a brutal killer on the loose in his town, and one night, Marty discovers the killer is a werewolf. The werewolf looks decent enough, but it's nothing special. The creepiest moments are when Marty discovers the werewolf's identity, and Reverend Lowe starts following him. Everett McGill bridges the gap between vicious killer and reluctant host quite well. Silver Bullet comes from a time where Stephen King movies were more of a joke than a legitimate horror subgenre. It's got moments of genuine fright, but they come rarely. Instead, it's more of a coming-of-age film with a werewolf stalking around in the background. The story was not one of King's best, and the movie continues that less than proud tradition. |