Review of Wolfen

In New York, when the influent millionaire Christopher van der Veer (Max M. Brown), his wife Pauline van der Veer (Anne Marie Pohtamo) and their bodyguard are mysteriously murdered at the Battery Park, Detective Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is summoned by his chief Warren (Dick O'Neill). Dewey had a drinking problem in the past, but now he is recovered, and is assigned to the case to work with the political specialist Rebecca Neff (Diane Venora). He meets with the coroner Whittington (Gregory Hines) that finds the case challenging. When a homeless man is found murdered in Bronx, Whittington finds the same Modus Operandi and a common animal fur of the Battery Park case. The expert in animals Ferguson (Tom Noonan) identifies the fur as belonging to a wolf, and the troublemaker Indian Eddie Holt (Edward James Olmos) becomes the prime suspect for Dewey.

"Wolfen" is a 1981 movie that has not aged well. When I first saw this film in the 80's, I found it better than now. The story is intriguing, based on an Indian urban legend, but the screenplay is not good. The camera work is excellent. After his death, Whittington is forgotten in the plot. Albert Finney is too weird to be the romantic interest of Diane Venora. Eddie Holt is also forgotten in the story. The supernatural wolfen are in a crime spree after Christopher van der Veer decides to build a future neighborhood in New York City. When Dewey destroys the models, does he resolve the wolfen problem? My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Lobos" ("Wolves")