Another WolfCop: A Cop in Wolf’s Clothing, by Mat Bradley-Tschirgi
Werewolves are one of the less appreciated of the classic movie monsters. Whether it’s the problematic bestiality metaphors or the inherent corniness of how they look, people love to kick a wolf man when he’s down. Why not combine hairy werewolves with riotous comedy? After all, master of horror John Landis (Beverly Hills Cop III) brought us the legendary werewolf horror comedy An American Werewolf in London over 35 years ago. Director Lowell Dean (13 Eerie) combines werewolf, horror, hockey, and police procedurals with Another WolfCop, a sequel to hit cult favorite WolfCop. Like one of the lesser Naked Gun sequels, Another WolfCop tries its hardest but doesn’t quite hit the mark.
Woodhaven, an offbeat Canadian hamlet, is in an economic crisis. Sydney Swallows, a best-selling author and successful entrepreneur, comes into town with a bold, job creating promise: opening a brewery to shill his delicious Chicken Milk Stout. However, the tasty brew is not what it seems and the WolfCop (Leo Fafard) is on the case with his conspiracy theory buddy Willie (Jonathan Cherry) and partner Tina (Amy Matysio). Can they save Woodhaven in time from the strange brew’s dark secret?
In theory, this goofball mix of cops, beer, aliens, guns, and puns should work. In practice, it’s a more scattershot affair. After the WolfCop causes a ruckus, he’s chastised to do “no more lone wolf crap.” Much of the storyline depends on events from the first film which are not recapped very well, if at all. Scenes lurch from one to another with little to connect them until the very end of the movie, giving the flick a poor sense of pacing. Everyone making the movie seems to be having a good time, but the tired screenplay by director Lowell Dean drags them down.
A supporting role by director and podcast maven Kevin Smith (Clerks 2) as Mayor Bubba is exactly what you think it is. Chicken Milk Stout has the slogan “Slam a Cold Cock!” which is so “hilarious” it gets repeated at least a dozen times throughout the picture. A rare highlight is a long sex scene packed to the brim with arcane references from Body of Evidence to Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
Much of the delivery of the comedy falls flat, although Jonathan Cherry tries his best as the drug-fueled Willie who comes off like a rejected member of The X-Files’ Lone Gunmen. Lowell Dean smartly puts a focus on practical special effects that deliver gruesome gore Fangoria would be proud of. Another WolfCop is at its best at its climax set at a hockey rink; the larger scale befits its zany premise far better than the pedestrian settings seen elsewhere in the movie. Had the focus been more on comedic gory action than witless dialogue, Dean could have been really onto something.
If you have your buddies around with a healthy selection of your favorite adult libations on hand when watching Another WolfCop then you might just find enough here to enjoy yourself. Otherwise, this is a hard watch for any but the most devoted werewolf fan.