[REVIEW] Salem Horror Fest: Wolves
Salem Horror Fest jury selected, Wolves is a snow-caped Canadian psychological thriller written, directed, shot, and scored by Danny Dunlop. Wolves follows a young social recluse who unwittingly uncovers a series of unsolved cold cases. As he delves deeper into society’s dark underside, he must confront his own inner demons to uncover the truth. With Danny Dunlop at the helm of (almost) everything, Wolves is sure to provide an interesting exploration of the human need for connection that will intrigue fans of horror and suspense.
Inspired by real-life events that occurred in Dunlop’s hometown of London, Ontario, Wolves follows the life of social recluse, Mark Nocent (as himself), becomes obsessed with finding the perpetrator mutilating animal’s bodies before they become a serial killer (as aligned with profiler’s precursor behaviour). Life before sleuthing was monotonous for Mark; he lived an isolated lifestyle in solitude, often searching the pages of dating websites. When he begins diving into crime solving, his life dramatically changes, taking him into the world of the small town’s underbelly. Struggling to find human connection, Mark is easily sucked away into the unsolved cold cases that he feels need his help. As the film progresses, empathy for Mark builds as he desperately searches for purpose through the solving of cold cases in his town.
Dunlop uses isolation as a technique throughout his cinematography: lonesome individuals, atmospheric lighting and vignette on Mark in his apartment, and menial dialogue to further drive home the disconnect that people throughout Wolves are experiencing. Mark’s lonely existence is the sole focus of Wolves. Moments where he is alone are often filled with news reports providing details to the audience of the crimes being committed in London. Whilst suspense is built in areas of the film, there are times where the build up meets a disjointed momentum that slows the pacing of the film down.
Due to having no connections to many people—besides his ex-work colleagues, the turtle that he keeps as a pet, and his ‘parent-like’ figures—he is able to throw himself heavily into the work of sleuthing. Speaking with experts under the guise of anonymity, Mark begins to question his own behaviour, sometimes identifying with elements of the alleged killer. Nocent delivers an interesting performance in the role of a solitary individual who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and connection.
Wolves is a slow burn of a psychological horror that shows the impact of isolation on some people. Through Nocents portrayal of ‘Mark’, we are pulled into the world of a heartbreakingly lonely individual on the path of human connection. Wolves is certainly a unique and interesting watch for fans of true crime.
