Out Come the Wolves

Going on a hunting trip, staying in a cabin deep in a forest with your husband and life-long friend is inviting problems.

That however is the set up when married couple Sophie and Nolan (Missy Peregrym and Damon Runyan respectively) and Sophie’s childhood friend Kyle (Joris Jarsky) decamp to the wilderness.

Ostensibly its for Nolan to learn how to hunt from Kyle, using a bow and arrow. Nolan has never hunted so he’s on a steep learning curve. Kyle is an experienced hunter and an expert with a bow and arrow, as is Sophie, though she doesn’t make very much of it. The friends have a brother-sister relationship, though it doesn’t take long to suspect that there are deeper emotions at play here.

And that makes for a cautious first half as the dynamic is set up until they finally go hunting. Nolan and Kyle stalk and serious injure an animal that upsets Nolan. Kyle is happy enough to leave it while Nolan feels guilt. Returning to their quarry wolves are now feasting on the carcase and they viciously attack Nolan, while Kyle takes his time getting his aim and loosing off an arrow.

From there it becomes somewhat predictable with director Adam MacDonald and co-writers Joris Jarsky and Enuka Okuma not supplying many surprises.

Where the film stumbles is with the slow set up at the beginning and the character development that becomes just a bit too obvious where it was all going to end up.

That said the film is very watchable for the three actors, who all get a very democratic share of the screen and dialogue, and the action sequences. The wolf attacks are visceral in their violence, and the chase sequences on motorbikes and quads around the forest are very well realised and provide for some tension.

Out Come the Wolves will be on UK Shudder from 29 November 2024.