UK title: Night of the Wolf. It's snowing outside, it's Xmas & a power cut somehow releases all of the dangerous inmates from their cells, meaning a fight for survival ensues. The inmates are the best thing about this film. Included amongst them are a cannibal, well played by Sand Ross, a huge hulk like man who hates red light (!), "God", child killer & a naked man with an extreme foot fetish. This is an Andrew Cymek movie - he wrote, directed, edited, etc - but sadly he also played one of the lead roles & this is a guy who can't act if his life depended upon it. And he's not alone here. Fortunately Brigitte Kingsley, who plays his wife, not only looks great but is one of the few decent performances.
It gets worse. Not only do we get bad acting but also some woeful dialogue. Really couldn't decide if this film was attempting to be funny at times but if so it failed miserably. At 106 minutes it is painfully too long, I just wanted the end credits to roll but amazingly resisted the temptation to hit the FFWD button. The Anchor Bay DVD comes with an alternative ending but it makes no difference, this is a pile of predictable crap either way!
19 Reviews
Derivative, clichéd, and stupid -- but not boring.
krachtm2 February 2013
The plot: When a system error releases all the prisoners in a high security psychiatric hospital, visitors and staff are hunted down by the most dangerous patients, including a newly arrived serial killer.
By any standard, this is a terrible movie. However, I reject the inevitable calls of "worst movie ever made". The acting and writing suck, but it's just not boring enough to qualify.
There are many scenes in this movie that defy common sense, but if you're watching low budget, independent, direct-to-video horror movies, I imagine that you're not all that concerned with such matters. If, however, you're expecting this ridiculous movie to make any kind of sense or exist in the real world, then I see why you'd be very disappointed. From the beginning, it seemed like this was a pretty big ripoff of Arkham Asylum, a fixture of Batman comic books. It even has a cheap Bane knockoff, a menacing head psychiatrist, and a tormented crime-fighter. I mean, really, how much more derivative can you get?
Still, despite the lack of originality, bad writing, bad acting, and iffy directing, I was able to sit through the entire movie. I think that should count for something. I've decided to be somewhat generous and award this movie a 4/10. It's bad, but it's nowhere near bad enough for some of the hyperbolic criticism that it has attracted.
By any standard, this is a terrible movie. However, I reject the inevitable calls of "worst movie ever made". The acting and writing suck, but it's just not boring enough to qualify.
There are many scenes in this movie that defy common sense, but if you're watching low budget, independent, direct-to-video horror movies, I imagine that you're not all that concerned with such matters. If, however, you're expecting this ridiculous movie to make any kind of sense or exist in the real world, then I see why you'd be very disappointed. From the beginning, it seemed like this was a pretty big ripoff of Arkham Asylum, a fixture of Batman comic books. It even has a cheap Bane knockoff, a menacing head psychiatrist, and a tormented crime-fighter. I mean, really, how much more derivative can you get?
Still, despite the lack of originality, bad writing, bad acting, and iffy directing, I was able to sit through the entire movie. I think that should count for something. I've decided to be somewhat generous and award this movie a 4/10. It's bad, but it's nowhere near bad enough for some of the hyperbolic criticism that it has attracted.
It's Bad
mrryanscott-1553028 July 2018
This was a bad movie. Lots of decent actors in small cameo roles but all of them are completely wasted. The leads and most supporting actors are not good on a performance level but that could be the result of just having such a bad script to work with. Not much to recommend here other than seeing some good actors in very small, wasted roles.
Wasted potential...
Luke_Watts17 January 2012
Warning: Spoilers
2/10. 1 for the intro scene and one for the costume maker who did a good job (even if it went to waste).
"In the small town of Garden, 14 young girls were taken from their homes never to be heard from again. They will forever be remembered as the Red Riding Hood Victims because of a message that was left at each crime scene... ARE YOU THE WOODCUTTER?".
When I read this I was intrigued. Thinking it might be an interesting take on a werewolf horror meets crime thriller. Or even simply a good crime thriller. Sadly after the first scene, which is the best scene, things quickly go downhill. The two kids in this first scene are without a doubt the best actors in the entire film.
After the interesting premise and decent opening scene things quickly fall apart in all departments from direction and writing to acting, largely because of the the common denominator: Andrew Cymek. The plot which had real potential suddenly veers away from the numerous good possibilities and heads for the absurd. By the end the only enjoyment I had was laughing aloud at the acting in the last 10 minutes of the movie by Andrew Cymek, who's listed so many times in the credits that he's even listed once as "Andy" Cymek, possibly to make it seems like someone else worked on this film.
It's worth noting "The Wolf's" costume is also interesting but far too much of the film is spent with the "villian" out of the suit. I have to wonder why they even bothered making the suit at all. Andrew Cymek should have saved that money for some acting classes.
"In the small town of Garden, 14 young girls were taken from their homes never to be heard from again. They will forever be remembered as the Red Riding Hood Victims because of a message that was left at each crime scene... ARE YOU THE WOODCUTTER?".
When I read this I was intrigued. Thinking it might be an interesting take on a werewolf horror meets crime thriller. Or even simply a good crime thriller. Sadly after the first scene, which is the best scene, things quickly go downhill. The two kids in this first scene are without a doubt the best actors in the entire film.
After the interesting premise and decent opening scene things quickly fall apart in all departments from direction and writing to acting, largely because of the the common denominator: Andrew Cymek. The plot which had real potential suddenly veers away from the numerous good possibilities and heads for the absurd. By the end the only enjoyment I had was laughing aloud at the acting in the last 10 minutes of the movie by Andrew Cymek, who's listed so many times in the credits that he's even listed once as "Andy" Cymek, possibly to make it seems like someone else worked on this film.
It's worth noting "The Wolf's" costume is also interesting but far too much of the film is spent with the "villian" out of the suit. I have to wonder why they even bothered making the suit at all. Andrew Cymek should have saved that money for some acting classes.
Cymek is Terrible, Kingsley Not Much Better
firoeske9 July 2013
I've seen bad acting and I've seen terrible acting and I've seen the W.O.R.S.T. acting now that I've seen Andrew Cymek in a movie. To call his acting wooden would be an insult to wood which is far more interesting. He has a grand total of one facial expression. How did he get cast in this? I wondered too until I checked out the credits, not sure how I made it that far in the movie I must have been real tired, but he was also director, writer, producer, pretty much everything. So he obviously thinks he has acting chops but honey he doesn't. Let's be honest, nobody in this movie was a good actor at all. The wrestler who plays a maniac who snaps every time he sees the colour red, yes you read that right, was awful. The character of Mabel was OK and got a couple laughs in her gory comic relief role but I'm sure at least partly that was in comparison to the other actors. William Davis, Test, Reso, John Rhys Davies, Mercedes McNabb, they all look super embarrassed just to be in this. Co-star Brigitte Kingsley only looks decent in her scenes with Cymek, otherwise she is almost as wooden as him. What legitimate doctor dresses like that? These two hamriffic performances are so bad the movie should at least be funny to laugh at but it's too bad even for that. The climactic scene where she's in a cage going underwater and talking to Cymek literally resulted in laughter at the most inappropriate time at their awful performances. Let's not mince words, she has huge breasts so guys will like to look at her and that's about all either 'star' has to offer in this flick. Cymek's not much of a director or writer either with terrible, predictable plot points and dialogue. Here's hoping this movie flopped so bad he'll never get money to make another one.
What! The! F*ck!
leonhardcastle14 August 2011
I cannot actually believe I was able to watch this pile of crap (and this is still a compliment). I see 22 Fb-likes and I can't believe that either.
This movie is not even good for killing time. Simple screenplay overly twisted, terribly played. I mean, I could hardly see any expression on Johnny's face. Actually nobody was terrified in this movie. The audibles is not what one can read from their lips, maybe it's re-synced, no problem, but I regret paying 100 minutes of my life watching this. Sucker Punch (which is a not-that-bad movie) should receive a hundred Oscars compared to this.
It's OK, my fault, because I ignored the IMDb ratings and I saw John Rhys-Davies starring.
This movie is not even good for killing time. Simple screenplay overly twisted, terribly played. I mean, I could hardly see any expression on Johnny's face. Actually nobody was terrified in this movie. The audibles is not what one can read from their lips, maybe it's re-synced, no problem, but I regret paying 100 minutes of my life watching this. Sucker Punch (which is a not-that-bad movie) should receive a hundred Oscars compared to this.
It's OK, my fault, because I ignored the IMDb ratings and I saw John Rhys-Davies starring.
How'd They Get John Rhys Davies In This?
elliot_gordon126 July 2018
Any time an independent movie is written by and directed by and stars the producer that usually means the movie is a turd and this is no exception to that rule. The acting is laughably bad and the story is so damn stupid you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Basically a crazed serial killer is locked up with other lunatics but then somebody kills the asylum's power which somehow makes all the cells open and turns on the red emergency lighting, which is extra bad because one of the crazy serial killers turns into a bull creature whenever he sees the color red. Yep it really is that stupid. Nothing in this movie is right and everyone involved in the making of this should be embarrassed to have it on their resumes.
Whatever this movie's budget is I guarantee 99% of it went into getting John Rhys Davies, Smoking Man from X Files and Mercedes McNab who was occasionally on Buffy to agree to be in this. They're in it for a total of about five minutes by the way.
This movie is a huge dud so do yourself a favor and avoid it at all costs.
top 10 WORSE movie
ihateatandt14 August 2011
If you are planning on spending money on this movie... DON'T! The director needs to go back to school and learn what a movie is. Heck, he should sign up for netflix and just watch movies all day every day for the next 10 years and then he should realize that this movie wasn't bad but HORRID. Acting 101 went out the door. Please save your time, money and SANITY by not watching this movie. The few people that gave it a 10 on this site must have been drunk employees or a few actors that dared to even rate this film to try to keep it above a 5. This movie should be a 2 or 3 at best.
If you do attempt to watch this movie, please bring the following
1) Another movie to switch to when you realize that this posting was correct. 2) A few barf bags 3) Maybe a good book 4) Your IPod 5) Maybe a good psychologist to make sure you are not insane!
In short... R U N ! ! ! Don't watch this!
Hope this helps.
If you do attempt to watch this movie, please bring the following
1) Another movie to switch to when you realize that this posting was correct. 2) A few barf bags 3) Maybe a good book 4) Your IPod 5) Maybe a good psychologist to make sure you are not insane!
In short... R U N ! ! ! Don't watch this!
Hope this helps.
It's not Bad, Seriously people
wonderman111129 September 2011
Look from reading most of the reviews out their on the Internet one may drop the gun and think that this movie will turn out to be one of the worst movies ever. In all honesty it's nowhere near that level. All the movie is, is just a slasher thriller with a goofy sounding premise and quite surprisingly an affective one. From what I've seen in other reviews, they say that the acting is the biggest atrocity that's ever hit cinema. I can already name like 50 other movies with worst acting then this one. Sure sometimes the acting gets really hammy but really based on the dozens of other hammy horror films out their this shouldn't be close to an "Atrocity of acting." Editing wise it makes some rather weird turns but it's still smooth and unlike other bad movies I can tell what's going on. If your into shutting your brain off and just watch a thriller slasher flick then I think you can handle Medium Raw. I sure enjoyed it and going in I was already on the other side of my argument right now. So, definitely give it a watch sometime.
Deserves better, give it a chance
SusieSalmonLikeTheFish23 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Medium Raw: Night of the Wolf certainly isn't perfect; that being said, it's not that bad, either. It has numerous flaws and some of the actors looked rather mortified to be there, but come on, it's not as bad as the garbage coming out now like The Hunger Games and Frozen. It can't be denied that Night of the Wolf has imagination.
The trick with movies like these is to not go in expecting some blockbuster hit, but to watch it from a comedic point of view. It's actually very hilarious, some of the lines. And the actors themselves were excellent, besides, William B. Davis (Dr. Parker) is one of the best actors out there, he's well-known for his role as the enigmatic Cigarette Smoking Man from The X-Files, among other roles. I kept picturing the Smoking Man during all his screen time in this movie; his sinister role in Night of the Wolf brings back a lot of memories watching The X-Files as a kid. All the actors/actresses put in evident effort, given what they had to work with, and it's nice to see other lesser-known actors getting some acting breaks, even in these TV horror movies, it's better than watching that Twilight crud or something.
I can't say I'm a big fan of the stereotypical "looney bin" plot. I can tell you from experience that mental health facilities today aren't set up to be fun, but they are NOTHING like as portrayed in this movie. I really wish horror movies would stop using the cliché nuthouse plot all the time, I know it's just a movie and maybe I'm overreacting but in this day and age you'd think that sort of thing would have stopped back in the nineties with movies.
The inmates in said hospital weren't exactly "evil." Oliver was pretty pervy and gross but sort of a hero in the story as well, when he saved the little girl (or attempted to), and without doing any strange pervert act with her. I liked Ben, despite his huge anger issues he didn't seem to want to harm anyone unless he was provoked. Mabel was a cannibal but came across as more comedic than scary, and Harold "the Wolf" just seemed frustrated and afraid once his wolf suit was taken from him. As for Dr. Parker, he goes from sinister to depressing as his true motives are discovered; the part about his father abusing him with electroshock and drownings in the past was actually pretty sad. The hospital is very unorthodox; Jamie (one of the main characters) is able to bring a Christmas present to Oliver (a pair of expensive shoes). He has a foot fetish and is known for cutting people's toes off. Jamie either has no one better to spend her money on than some nude perverted criminal, or she has a thing for Oliver. If you wanted to get really into the reality of things, psychologists and psychiatrists most often need to be mentally stable themselves in order to practice in that field. The abuse Parker suffered as a child would likely either be on record somewhere or would've come up before he was hired to work at the hospital. Then again, it's only a movie, if you go at it with to much seriousness it just isn't as fun to watch.
I thought the soundtrack was pretty good and the wolf suit design was so cool! The special effects were pretty convincing, albeit not the best, and the police officer Johnny Morgan's past is filmed in flashbacks with a nostalgic yellow tint and film grain for effect, not bad. I don't understand why this movie has such low ratings, some people are saying that the acting was bad and that the effects were cheesy. Well, I'm not an actor but I've met one or two actors when I was publishing fiction novels, and from what I understand, if you're a lesser known actor trying to get a big break or an actor looking to make it in bigger movies, you take what jobs you can get, you don't pick and choose. Acting is a profession, just like selling cars or law enforcement or teaching. And maybe some of the actors in Night of the Wolf already knew it was going to be a lame Sy-Fy TV channel airing and just acted in it for fun, it's been known to happen. Not all actors are in it for the money, some just enjoy acting, hell, I'd love being an actress if I didn't speak in a monotone voice! As for people who say the movie was cheesy, well to each their own, but I love cheesy horror movies! I grew up with favorites like my hometown-filmed My Bloody Valentine (1981), Matinée (1989) and Sleepaway Camp (1983). I stand up for those classic slasher movies over box-office hits any day.
Well,sorry for ranting about all that, I'm just sorta tired of people giving this movie such a hard time; it's not that bad! My brother, sister and I loved it, we thought it was entertaining, which is what movies should be about, not just making money but being something you can enjoy, even if it's a little cheesy and lame. I recommend it to anyone looking for a funny and creepy horror movie, watch it with an open mind and hey, at least if you end up hating it you have the opportunity to make fun of it later and laugh at the characters like Oliver and Mabel.
The trick with movies like these is to not go in expecting some blockbuster hit, but to watch it from a comedic point of view. It's actually very hilarious, some of the lines. And the actors themselves were excellent, besides, William B. Davis (Dr. Parker) is one of the best actors out there, he's well-known for his role as the enigmatic Cigarette Smoking Man from The X-Files, among other roles. I kept picturing the Smoking Man during all his screen time in this movie; his sinister role in Night of the Wolf brings back a lot of memories watching The X-Files as a kid. All the actors/actresses put in evident effort, given what they had to work with, and it's nice to see other lesser-known actors getting some acting breaks, even in these TV horror movies, it's better than watching that Twilight crud or something.
I can't say I'm a big fan of the stereotypical "looney bin" plot. I can tell you from experience that mental health facilities today aren't set up to be fun, but they are NOTHING like as portrayed in this movie. I really wish horror movies would stop using the cliché nuthouse plot all the time, I know it's just a movie and maybe I'm overreacting but in this day and age you'd think that sort of thing would have stopped back in the nineties with movies.
The inmates in said hospital weren't exactly "evil." Oliver was pretty pervy and gross but sort of a hero in the story as well, when he saved the little girl (or attempted to), and without doing any strange pervert act with her. I liked Ben, despite his huge anger issues he didn't seem to want to harm anyone unless he was provoked. Mabel was a cannibal but came across as more comedic than scary, and Harold "the Wolf" just seemed frustrated and afraid once his wolf suit was taken from him. As for Dr. Parker, he goes from sinister to depressing as his true motives are discovered; the part about his father abusing him with electroshock and drownings in the past was actually pretty sad. The hospital is very unorthodox; Jamie (one of the main characters) is able to bring a Christmas present to Oliver (a pair of expensive shoes). He has a foot fetish and is known for cutting people's toes off. Jamie either has no one better to spend her money on than some nude perverted criminal, or she has a thing for Oliver. If you wanted to get really into the reality of things, psychologists and psychiatrists most often need to be mentally stable themselves in order to practice in that field. The abuse Parker suffered as a child would likely either be on record somewhere or would've come up before he was hired to work at the hospital. Then again, it's only a movie, if you go at it with to much seriousness it just isn't as fun to watch.
I thought the soundtrack was pretty good and the wolf suit design was so cool! The special effects were pretty convincing, albeit not the best, and the police officer Johnny Morgan's past is filmed in flashbacks with a nostalgic yellow tint and film grain for effect, not bad. I don't understand why this movie has such low ratings, some people are saying that the acting was bad and that the effects were cheesy. Well, I'm not an actor but I've met one or two actors when I was publishing fiction novels, and from what I understand, if you're a lesser known actor trying to get a big break or an actor looking to make it in bigger movies, you take what jobs you can get, you don't pick and choose. Acting is a profession, just like selling cars or law enforcement or teaching. And maybe some of the actors in Night of the Wolf already knew it was going to be a lame Sy-Fy TV channel airing and just acted in it for fun, it's been known to happen. Not all actors are in it for the money, some just enjoy acting, hell, I'd love being an actress if I didn't speak in a monotone voice! As for people who say the movie was cheesy, well to each their own, but I love cheesy horror movies! I grew up with favorites like my hometown-filmed My Bloody Valentine (1981), Matinée (1989) and Sleepaway Camp (1983). I stand up for those classic slasher movies over box-office hits any day.
Well,sorry for ranting about all that, I'm just sorta tired of people giving this movie such a hard time; it's not that bad! My brother, sister and I loved it, we thought it was entertaining, which is what movies should be about, not just making money but being something you can enjoy, even if it's a little cheesy and lame. I recommend it to anyone looking for a funny and creepy horror movie, watch it with an open mind and hey, at least if you end up hating it you have the opportunity to make fun of it later and laugh at the characters like Oliver and Mabel.
At the very least you will fast forward through this movie...
scoup9 April 2012
Not a good comedy....yes I know it's a horror movie, but it was so bad I did get a couple laughs.
The Doctor with the hooker boots channeling her best Basic Instinct cooch shot to a seemingly lesbian cannibal psych ward patient who wants to lick her. Yup, you read correctly.
Great idea to bring your granddaughter to work the same day that the kid serial killer arrives and let her watch him get wheeled in with restraints. Better yet, let the kid serial killer see her and peak his interest.
How does someone get stuck to a butcher block via knife in hand and remain unable to escape with the other free hand??? Yes this was hooker boots Doctor. Got her degree from Phoenix University.
"Are you the Woodcutter?" - the movie tag-line. Erroneously attributed to the Red Riding Wolf theme, but in reality refers to the challenge presented to the viewer...Can you cut through these wooden lifeless performances and find some enjoyment.
Davis, Davies and McNab were fair and the only reason I gave this a shot.
The Doctor with the hooker boots channeling her best Basic Instinct cooch shot to a seemingly lesbian cannibal psych ward patient who wants to lick her. Yup, you read correctly.
Great idea to bring your granddaughter to work the same day that the kid serial killer arrives and let her watch him get wheeled in with restraints. Better yet, let the kid serial killer see her and peak his interest.
How does someone get stuck to a butcher block via knife in hand and remain unable to escape with the other free hand??? Yes this was hooker boots Doctor. Got her degree from Phoenix University.
"Are you the Woodcutter?" - the movie tag-line. Erroneously attributed to the Red Riding Wolf theme, but in reality refers to the challenge presented to the viewer...Can you cut through these wooden lifeless performances and find some enjoyment.
Davis, Davies and McNab were fair and the only reason I gave this a shot.
Medium Raw: Night of the Wolf
Scarecrow-8823 June 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A psychopath dressed in an ironworks werewolf costume (while brief glimpses are often all we get, it is quite a really menacing metal wolf creation, with claws of steel even) killed a little girl. Her brother grew up to be a cop, and he is responsible (or so he, and everyone else thinks) for the arrest of the killer (but not before the killer murdered his partner, played by John Rhys-Davies (looking might gaunt)). The killer (or the one we are led to believe is the killer) is sent to the asylum of Dr. Robert Parker (William B Davis, who practically has "sinister" stamped on his forehead), who puts shock collars around the necks of the criminally insane! During a night of hell, the asylum suffers a "power outage", the cells become unlocked, and the loonies are free to roam. Our hero cop (the morose Andrew Cymek, who directed this film), his estranged doc wife (Brigitte Kinglesy), a fellow cop (WWE wrestler Christian), an attorney (Mercedes McNab), and the staff at the asylum (along with a little girl) are trapped in the asylum with the violent patients, with lots of mayhem ensuing. Not bad little low budget asylum horror flick has lots of human monsters on the rampage, including a giant behemoth that actually crushes a security guard's head in his hands, a woman named Mabel who likes to massacre bodies before chopping them up and cooking them (one of the cast gets his throat sliced, then mutilated as Mabel goes through how to cook him up as if a gourmet meal!), and the Wolf serial killer. The surprise regarding who the metal werewolf costume killer is will probably not surprise anyone because the film has a hard time disguising how guilty a particular character looks. The claws on the metalworks arms of the costume resemble Wolverine's adamantine ones and they do some serious damage, penetrating right through a victim who discovers too much when investigating Parker's files. The asylum is darkly lit for obvious foreboding, and the criminals of the film are appropriately ferocious/disturbing/unpleasant. William B Davis (Cigarette Smoking Man of The X Files) just has a hard time escaping typecasting in these kinds of movies; he rarely knows how to not look suspicious. He smirks at one scene when he purposely shocks a patient seemingly for kicks. Cymek casting himself as the hero is a bit much, but he's stoic and of few words, and there's no showboating (he even takes his licks when engaged in fights with nutty patients) involved. Mercedes and Brigitte are babes...Brigitte has a session with Mabel that reminded me of Sharon Stone from Basic Instinct (the way Brigitte crosses her legs in her really short skirt).
Stinker Horror
garbanzo523 August 2013
This is a stinker of a horror movie. I don't know why but for some reason the horror movie genre tends to draw wannabe film makers and movie stars to it to do sub standard horror films. This horror movie is not scary at all and is even funny most of the time which is a bad thing because it is not trying at all to be funny. The plot is so awful you can't help but laugh. The beginning starts out all right and it seems like it will become a good scary movie but once the awesome wolf costumed killer is captured it gets stupid really fast. Basically a little red riding hood killer with a metal wolf costume who kills little girls gets put into an asylum, the power goes out and yadda yadda yadda you already know where this is going. There are good supporting actors in this but the lead (Detective Johnny) is maybe the worst actor I have ever seen, as other reviews here say he has absolutely no facial expressions let alone acting ability. We laughed out loud several times as he said his lines with zero emotions. The other lead is not much better as the doctor/his wife he is separated from. Also there are a lot of really stupid plot twists. For example one of the patients becomes a homicidal bull man whenever he sees the color red. Insanely bad movie.
FRIENDS DON'T EAT FRIENDS
nogodnomasters3 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The first half of the movie builds the characters and lays the foundation for the film. John Rhys-Davies, one of the "sell" points of the film dies early. The movie centers around the wolf killer, a man so dubbed because he kidnaps and kills young girls and leaves a clue, "Are you the woodcutter?"
There is also an asylum for the criminally insane. We get to meet a number of characters: a woman cannibal, a man who collects toes, and a giant of a man who goes crazy when he sees an infrared light. The wife, or ex-wife of a policeman works there. His sister was killed by the wolf when he was five as well as his partner, more recently.
All the characters are in play at the asylum when the power goes out, and the criminals emerge from their cells. Brigitte Kingsley provided the eye candy and did a nice job as "the wife" who works at the asylum. Unfortunately the plot and script lacked. There was a good kitchen scene which should have been darkly funny, but for some reason didn't achieve the expectations. Wait until next month when the used ones hit the market.
No sex, no nudity (okay, some male from behind stuff.)
There is also an asylum for the criminally insane. We get to meet a number of characters: a woman cannibal, a man who collects toes, and a giant of a man who goes crazy when he sees an infrared light. The wife, or ex-wife of a policeman works there. His sister was killed by the wolf when he was five as well as his partner, more recently.
All the characters are in play at the asylum when the power goes out, and the criminals emerge from their cells. Brigitte Kingsley provided the eye candy and did a nice job as "the wife" who works at the asylum. Unfortunately the plot and script lacked. There was a good kitchen scene which should have been darkly funny, but for some reason didn't achieve the expectations. Wait until next month when the used ones hit the market.
No sex, no nudity (okay, some male from behind stuff.)
Quite A Bad Effort
markgorys6 August 2018
This is quite a bad effort but the blow is softened by this apparently being the director-writer-star's first movie (According to another review here)... the story is incredibly stupid with plot holes you could pilot an oil tanker through. The acting is really bad and the celebrities in it are only in it for a few minutes total and they're obviously just going through the motions to collect whatever their pay check is. Worst of all is the acting of the two stars but at least it adds some laughs to a movie that otherwise would be entirely unwatchable.
Don't be too harsh.
vethurlow14 July 2012
Okay, okay, this isn't the best film ever made-but don't write it off just yet. If you have already seen this film, and you absolutely hated it, then try and remember that Cymek has only directed less than a handful of projects. Even though they may not be anything particularly special (and they aren't), he still has enough skill to work in some decent dialogue, interesting (though predictable) twists, and a generous amount of gore/ways to die. I wasn't impressed, but at least this one showed some promise of a technique..that may need some fine tuning...and practice.
For those of you wondering if it's worth the time to invest..eh..it's really a question of whether you're willing to give beginner directors/writers a try. And I say go for it. I wasn't left wishing I had that time back (I've seen plenty of films that have), I found some quality aspects to the writing. For example, Johnny Morgan maintains an unusual sense of humour in some darker areas of the film..made me at least smile. There are far too many corny one-liners, but by the end, you can forgive most of them. And if you love gore related to maniacs, then you'll find a scene or two that'll make you cringe a tad.
All in all, it truly deserves a mere 5/10. Just watch it with an open mind, and decide at the end how to critique it.
For those of you wondering if it's worth the time to invest..eh..it's really a question of whether you're willing to give beginner directors/writers a try. And I say go for it. I wasn't left wishing I had that time back (I've seen plenty of films that have), I found some quality aspects to the writing. For example, Johnny Morgan maintains an unusual sense of humour in some darker areas of the film..made me at least smile. There are far too many corny one-liners, but by the end, you can forgive most of them. And if you love gore related to maniacs, then you'll find a scene or two that'll make you cringe a tad.
All in all, it truly deserves a mere 5/10. Just watch it with an open mind, and decide at the end how to critique it.
Definitely not 'the worst movie ever made'
PrincessPeachx6 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
My boyfriend and I watch a movie nearly every night before we go to bed, and we generally like to watch scary movies for some reason. We looked through Netflix and found Medium Raw, which looked interesting enough, judging from the description.
We turned on the movie and watched it from beginning to end (unlike most reviewers on here, I'm guessing.) We liked it, for the most part. Sure, there are plot holes, it wasn't scary (except for a few 'disturbing moments' involving the cannibal, etc), the two main actors were awful, and there were like 5 different plot lines.
That's one thing that really bugged me, the movie seemed like it was being pulled in so many different directions; if I hadn't of read the description I probably would've been lost.
In the beginning, Johnny (a cop) is trying to find the 'Wolf' serial killer who killed his sister when he was a child, which he witnessed. His wife works in a mental institution as a doctor, and once the Wolf killer is caught, he is sent to the mental institution where Johnny comes to visit him for revenge. Then, a system mishap causes the system in the building to crash, turning out all the lights and unlocking all the inmates, which turns the night into a fight for survival.
I think the movie could have been great given a different budget, director, cleaner writing, better actors, etc. The idea was good, and the premise was scary. When the system was showing 'system error: unlocking doors" I was genuinely scared. There were so many 'oh sh*t!' moments in this movie, but I walked away unscared and forgot about this movie like ten minutes after the credits rolled.
The 'twist' at the ending was also extremely predictable. I called what was going to happen about 20 minutes into the movie. However, I'll leave that for *you* to find out for yourself :-)
Like a lot of the reviews on this board, I'm not going to say that this is 'the worst movie ever made,' because it wasn't. I enjoyed it for what it was. A lot of people sit down at movies and expect it to be the next 'Scream' or 'Friday the 13th,' but with this (a movie rated a 3 on netflix) I just took it for what it was and enjoyed it. Be open minded. Forget about plot lines and things that bother you. It will make your experience with this movie more fulfilling.
5/10
We turned on the movie and watched it from beginning to end (unlike most reviewers on here, I'm guessing.) We liked it, for the most part. Sure, there are plot holes, it wasn't scary (except for a few 'disturbing moments' involving the cannibal, etc), the two main actors were awful, and there were like 5 different plot lines.
That's one thing that really bugged me, the movie seemed like it was being pulled in so many different directions; if I hadn't of read the description I probably would've been lost.
In the beginning, Johnny (a cop) is trying to find the 'Wolf' serial killer who killed his sister when he was a child, which he witnessed. His wife works in a mental institution as a doctor, and once the Wolf killer is caught, he is sent to the mental institution where Johnny comes to visit him for revenge. Then, a system mishap causes the system in the building to crash, turning out all the lights and unlocking all the inmates, which turns the night into a fight for survival.
I think the movie could have been great given a different budget, director, cleaner writing, better actors, etc. The idea was good, and the premise was scary. When the system was showing 'system error: unlocking doors" I was genuinely scared. There were so many 'oh sh*t!' moments in this movie, but I walked away unscared and forgot about this movie like ten minutes after the credits rolled.
The 'twist' at the ending was also extremely predictable. I called what was going to happen about 20 minutes into the movie. However, I'll leave that for *you* to find out for yourself :-)
Like a lot of the reviews on this board, I'm not going to say that this is 'the worst movie ever made,' because it wasn't. I enjoyed it for what it was. A lot of people sit down at movies and expect it to be the next 'Scream' or 'Friday the 13th,' but with this (a movie rated a 3 on netflix) I just took it for what it was and enjoyed it. Be open minded. Forget about plot lines and things that bother you. It will make your experience with this movie more fulfilling.
5/10
My Review Of "Medium Raw: Night Of The Wolf"
ASouthernHorrorFan24 July 2013
Directed by Andrew Cymek "Medium Raw" has a very in depth synopsis with multiple stories playing out centering around a serial killer and his connection to the other cast of characters in this action/horror flick. A rookie cop catches a notorious serial killer known as "The Wolf" who killed his sister when he was a child and left him scarred. While seeing the killer to his new digs at Parker's Asylum officer Johnny Morgan and a small group of others find them selves in a twisted battle for survival when pandemonium ensues bringing them face to face with some of the worlds sickest killers. The film stars William Davis, John Rhys Daves, Brigette Kingsley, Mercedes McNab, Jay Reso, Kristina Miller and Andrew Cymek.
"Medium Raw: Night Of The Wolf" has some really cool elements and some very bad ones. The things that I enjoyed about this film most were eclectic group of serial killers locked within the asylum and the fact that it happens on the eve of the Christmas holiday. There was a big flirtation with the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale between "The Wolf" and a small child that really should not have been in the facility to begin with. For me the most exciting thing about this film was the "smack down" concept as the killers are released from their cells forcing the people trapped inside to fight or flee in order to survive. The best character in "Medium Raw" was Mabel Hannibal. A crazy woman who was captured and locked away for killing and cooking people. If Hell has a chef then Mabel Hannibal is that chef.
The few things that fell flat for me in this blended plot structured action/horror flick are simple and only minor irritations at best. First Andrew Cymek's direction and vision for this story was awesome but his portrayal of Johnny Morgan came of a little more comical than I think it was intended. The second thing that seemed to take way from the story was the under utilization of the twisted and dark doctor of Parker's Asylum. William Davis as a sinister figure is commanding. He is evil incarnate on screen and I would have rather seen more of his character as well as the iron wolf suit than all the flashbacks to Johnny Morgan's past.
"Medium Raw: Night Of The Wolf" has a lot of good qualities to entertain. The gore and blood is there and great quality effects. The acting for the most part was believable and the haunting air of the Christmas holiday gave an added darkness to the film that I loved. The soundtrack played out perfect with the scenes and helped to bring the emotion outward. The asylum could have had a stronger story with more face time for the other killers but oh well. The fact is "Medium Raw" gives us a holiday gathering that only Hell could conjure.
"Medium Raw: Night Of The Wolf" has some really cool elements and some very bad ones. The things that I enjoyed about this film most were eclectic group of serial killers locked within the asylum and the fact that it happens on the eve of the Christmas holiday. There was a big flirtation with the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale between "The Wolf" and a small child that really should not have been in the facility to begin with. For me the most exciting thing about this film was the "smack down" concept as the killers are released from their cells forcing the people trapped inside to fight or flee in order to survive. The best character in "Medium Raw" was Mabel Hannibal. A crazy woman who was captured and locked away for killing and cooking people. If Hell has a chef then Mabel Hannibal is that chef.
The few things that fell flat for me in this blended plot structured action/horror flick are simple and only minor irritations at best. First Andrew Cymek's direction and vision for this story was awesome but his portrayal of Johnny Morgan came of a little more comical than I think it was intended. The second thing that seemed to take way from the story was the under utilization of the twisted and dark doctor of Parker's Asylum. William Davis as a sinister figure is commanding. He is evil incarnate on screen and I would have rather seen more of his character as well as the iron wolf suit than all the flashbacks to Johnny Morgan's past.
"Medium Raw: Night Of The Wolf" has a lot of good qualities to entertain. The gore and blood is there and great quality effects. The acting for the most part was believable and the haunting air of the Christmas holiday gave an added darkness to the film that I loved. The soundtrack played out perfect with the scenes and helped to bring the emotion outward. The asylum could have had a stronger story with more face time for the other killers but oh well. The fact is "Medium Raw" gives us a holiday gathering that only Hell could conjure.
Disappointing and quite dull but still enjoyable
kannibalcorpsegrinder28 April 2015
After capturing a notorious serial killer, a detective and the workers at a psychiatric facility try to deal with the murderous inmates housed there when a power outage frees the criminals held inside and begin threatening the group inside.
This one turned out to be quite a fun slasher once it got going. There's a couple of rather big flaws here in the first half of the film, which is mainly based around the fact that the two conflicting subplots are barely worthwhile because there's little to make us care. It's almost impossible to care about the capture of a killer or the workings of an insane asylum when there's nothing to get us into those elements. The inmates are crazy and psychotic, while little of the investigation takes any kind of importance since there's little about it revealed that's relevant about the case or the killer revealed later. It's all dropped away in the second half here anyway with the rampage of the different lunatics, some of whom are just lame overall or clash oddly with the serious tone as they go about indulging in a matter of goofy set-pieces. This is mostly resolved by the film's middle segment where it really gets going by engaging in a series of suspenseful stalking and ambush scenes inside the creepy sanitarium as it utilizes the surroundings to its' fullest potential, has some pretty decent kills and generates a fair bit of prowess with its animal costume so there's some good to be had as well. The last positive here is a rather nice twist at the end to make all the loose threads tie up nicely and helps this one turn out pretty nice overall.
Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
This one turned out to be quite a fun slasher once it got going. There's a couple of rather big flaws here in the first half of the film, which is mainly based around the fact that the two conflicting subplots are barely worthwhile because there's little to make us care. It's almost impossible to care about the capture of a killer or the workings of an insane asylum when there's nothing to get us into those elements. The inmates are crazy and psychotic, while little of the investigation takes any kind of importance since there's little about it revealed that's relevant about the case or the killer revealed later. It's all dropped away in the second half here anyway with the rampage of the different lunatics, some of whom are just lame overall or clash oddly with the serious tone as they go about indulging in a matter of goofy set-pieces. This is mostly resolved by the film's middle segment where it really gets going by engaging in a series of suspenseful stalking and ambush scenes inside the creepy sanitarium as it utilizes the surroundings to its' fullest potential, has some pretty decent kills and generates a fair bit of prowess with its animal costume so there's some good to be had as well. The last positive here is a rather nice twist at the end to make all the loose threads tie up nicely and helps this one turn out pretty nice overall.
Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
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