CRYING WOLF (2015) directed by Tony Jopia, starring Kristofer Dayne

“What’s the point of being a werewolf if you can’t wolf around a little?”

True to its name, the small country village of Deddington has more than its share of secrets and mysterious deaths. While searching for clues in the death of a local young woman named Charlotte, a private investigator stumbles into an antique shop and finds a huge tome the shopkeeper (Caroline Munro) isn’t too keen on parting with.

Settling down in a local pub, the PI can’t believe his eyes as the book relates the story of a werewolf pack that got more than they bargained for on a camping trip intended to solidify their ranks.

It seems that Andy (Kristofer Dayne) had a habit of pulling pranks on his pals at the local pub, so when he barges in one night covered in blood and babbling about a werewolf attack his friends don’t believe him – until it’s too late. Now they’re all part of a pack headed by the overbearing Milly (Gabriela Hersham), the she-wolf who killed Charlotte and turned Andy.

Heading off into the woods on a camping trip guided by Ricky Hellsong (Marco Radice with a dubbed voice) and his pal Charlie (David Sellicks), Milly intends to have the novice lycans kill in the wild in order to close their ranks. The arrival of two hitchhikers and a werewolf’s un-turned sister complicates matters, not to mention the emergence of a revenge plan in the works right under their noses.

Mildly schizophrenic, CRYING WOLF is a bit like the bastard offspring of a werewolf flick and an anthology film. When the group arrives at a remote church, they begin sharing stories filled with topless sunbathers, creepy crawlies, potato sack madmen, damsels in distress, ninjas (?!), horny vicars, beheadings, gangsters, demons, grave robbing … and bongos. Somehow, director/co-writer Tony Jopia ties things together in a bloody CGI-heavy finale filled with crossbows, werewolf attacks, handguns, bombs and some D-grade fight choreography. 

Clocking in at a padded out 91 minutes, CRYING WOLF (listed as being in 3D on its IMDB page) occupies that crowded dollar store netherworld filled with flicks that aren’t so terrible you feel like you wasted your time and money but aren’t good enough to recommend to all but your closest fellow cheapo horror junkies. – Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of Exploitation Retrospect and The Hungover Gourmet as well as host (as DJ Cosmo) of the Mixcloud radio show Around the Dial. His favorite werewolf film is probably THE HOWLING but he does love a good ol' Paul Naschy flick.

CRYING WOLF is available from Amazon or in the bins at your favorite dollar store.