Trey Yancy In my opinion this is the best werewolf movie ever made, and I've seen all of them. It is certainly different than the classic-style "horror" films of this genre (my favorite being the Del Toro / Hopkins / Blunt film - the revised version without the awful Shakespeare segment). In contrast, Wolf has some serious character development, an intelligent story with interesting twists, great acting and directing, and is perfectly cast. Frankly, I cannot imagine a better selection than Nicholson, even if Nichols had the choice of any other Hollywood star in the century. Spader is a naturally creepy antagonist who is easy to fear and hate, and Pfeiffer is as good a choice for her role as Nicholson is for his role - intense, powerful, and with a sense of danger.I watch a ton of movies and own around 1,500 of them, and I rarely give top ratings for anything but Wolf is in a class by itself. Of all the films I've ever seen, I definitely put this film among the top fifty. Others may prefer the classic-style werewolf films but for me, an intelligent well-told story definitely trumps the tired old gothic classics, and Wolf is the most intelligent and best told werewolf film I have ever seen. I'll certainly miss Mike Nicols. It would have been nice to see another film or two of his in this genre.

utgard14 Jack Nicholson plays a middle-aged book publisher, bitten by a wolf during the full moon, who undergoes a physical and psychological transformation just as his life seems to be falling apart around him. A different kind of werewolf movie but an interesting one. Nicholson does a good job, despite being somewhat miscast for the role of a nebbish. Once the transformation begins and this man starts to show his newfound wolf side, it's a role right up Jack's alley. James Spader is a treat as the sleazy villain. Michelle Pfeiffer looks as pretty as ever and has decent chemistry with the much-older Nicholson. The script is clever and fun. Rick Baker's low-key makeup won't please many horror fans but I think it was perfectly suited for this type of film. Really this isn't the kind of werewolf movie for the average horror fan who wants strong visuals and lots of violent action. It's not scary, either, in case that wasn't obvious. It's a werewolf movie for people who want something outside of the ordinary.I really liked this one and I gotta say I didn't expect to when I first saw it years ago. I'm not a big Mike Nichols fan. The kinds of films he made are not the kinds of films I tend to enjoy. I'm not saying they are bad films or that he was not a talented director. He made some classics that I did like to watch, although the idea of rewatching any of them is not particularly appealing to me. So, take my opinion on Nichols into account when I say that this is my favorite Mike Nichols movie. No, I'm not saying this is a better film than "The Graduate" or "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" or anything crazy like that. But I enjoy watching this movie more than any of his relationship dramas. The interesting thing is that, underneath the supernatural elements, this is a story about a man's mid-life crisis. That's exactly the sort of movie you expect Nichols to make, only this time the story is told in a less prosaic way by making it a werewolf movie with the subtext and dark humor that comes along with that.

gwnightscream Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Spader, Kate Nelligan and Christopher Plummer star in this 1994 horror film. Nicholson (The Shining) plays Will Randall, an editor who soon gets bit by a werewolf. After his senses improve, he learns he's inherited the mark of the beast. Pfeiffer (The Witches of Eastwick) plays Laura Alden, a young woman he not only finds romance with, but turns out to be the daughter of his boss, Raymond (Plummer). Spader (Pretty in Pink) plays Will's co-worker, Stuart Swinton who competes with him for a higher position and Nelligan (Dracula) plays Will's wife, Charlotte who has an affair with Stuart. I've always liked this film and think it's underrated. Jack and Michelle are great in this and have good chemistry, Ennio Morricone's score is great as usual as well as Rick Baker's make-up effects. I recommend this.

jokerswild1 While driving, Will Randall accidentally hits a wolf. When he gets out of his car to see if it's still alive, the wolf bites him. After this event, Will's senses begin to improve and he becomes more competitive. As he continues to change into a creature of the night, he must also deal with his former protégé Stewart trying to steal his job.The cast is all around very strong, Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer (both alumni of Batman films) have good chemistry and given these character's personalities, it's believable that they would want each other in spite of their age difference. James Spader is very good as Stewart, the character's dog-eat-dog attitude works well playing against Nicholson's more subtle confidence.The cinematography is very good, and the opening scene where Will hits the wolf has strong atmosphere. The score isn't one of Ennio Morricone's best, and it's not the kind of score that's easy to remember after you're done watching the movie, but it's still pretty good and effective during the film.My biggest issue with the movie is the werewolf makeup. There isn't enough to it, and it just makes those who wear it look like feral men rather than monsters. I was surprised to find out that the special effects were done by Rick Baker, who had done far more impressive work on An American Werewolf in London. Keeping Nicholson and Spader in makeup rather than just having an animatronic or someone in full costume was a good idea, but the way it was handled was too restricted.The first half of the movie is a bit stronger than the second half, with the slow buildup of Will's changes being the best aspect after the performances, but the second half is still good, even if the werewolves look like guys with sharp teeth and 5 o'clock shadow.