My Animal

My Animal, historically all werewolf films are to some degree about repressed desire, so it makes perfect sense that this one focuses specifically on homosexuality. I have to say i think this is an LGBTQ+ film done right but you have to go into it knowing that it is a coming of age story that uses Lycanthropy as an allegory and backdrop and that the werewolf stuff while ever present is not front and center.

If you approach the film with that in mind i think you'll walk away quite satisfied, however if you're looking for transformations, gore or true horror you'll have to look elsewhere.

There are a lot of positives to the movie, its well acted and our lead Heather has a little of Stephen King's Carrie about her. Another highlight is her father played by Stephen Hattie, who you may have seen in Pontypool, another indie film i'm a big fan of.

The crux of the story is that Heather played by Bobbi Salvor Menuez is a werewolf desperately trying to be a normal teenager and mainly focuses on the romantic feelings she has towards another girl, which may or may not be reciprocated.

I think its very clever how they managed to blend the themes of  the fear that would come with being attracted to someone of the same sex and how they would react, if they did not feel the same along with Heather disclosing the secret that she is a werewolf together well.

I like that it went for a retro mid to late 1980's aesthetic, borrowing heavily from the mood and soundtrack of Near Dark, (the soundtrack is extremely reminiscent of Tangerine Dream) and there are a few striking visuals. It's a beautifully hypnotic looking movie in places.

My biggest criticism though is that if it played into the werewolf stuff just a tad more it would have been an excellent film, i loved Stephen Hattie's and Menuez's performances  but as it stands i'm finding it hard to land a rating for it. It didn't go as far as it needed to.

It's no Ginger Snaps, but it is good
I'm only giving it a 4.5 rating because I personally think it needed just that little bit extra to truly make the landing for me.