Director Philippe Mora cut his teeth on this monster movie before doing the first two mediocre Howling movies, problem is this is just as mediocre as they were.

The story opens in 1964 and newlywed couple Ronny Cox and Bibi Besch breakdown by the woods in the middle of the night. Besch ends-up getting raped by some sort of beast and we flash forward to seventeen years later and their son Paul Clemens who was born of the event and is suffering from an odd form of sickness. Soon enough though it turns out that Clemens is changing and he starts to unwillingly transform into a blood-starved creature and proceeds to tear apart a bunch of local townsfolk. There's also a muddy subplot thrown in about him being possessed by a vengeful spirit, but it didn't fit well with the rest of the movie.

This one goes by fairly quickly, has a nasty embalming scene, and is for the most part watchable; but at the same time it feels pretty "potboiler"-ish, the script by Tom Holland (who'd gone on to direct cult favourites Fright Night and Child's Play) feels half-assed, and the entire thing feels a bit underwhelming.

Overall this isn't that bad really and there's enough bloodshed and okay effects (although the final transformation looks rubbery and dated despite the fairly gross "back split" moment) to make it bearable viewing. (Chris Hartley, 11/16/04)

Directed By: Philippe Mora.
Written By: Tom Holland.

Starring: Ronny Cox, Bibi Besch, Paul Clemens, Don Gordon.