‘Wolf Man’ (2025) 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Horror Reimagining Tackles The Weight Of Legacy

From Blumhouse and the director of The Invisible Man comes a modern take on the classic monster story, WOLF MAN. Seeking a fresh start, Blake moves his wife Charlotte and daughter Ginger to his childhood home in rural Oregon. Upon arrival, they encounter a brutal animal attack, forcing the family to barricade themselves inside the house as an unseen creature prowls the perimeter. As the night wears on, Blake’s injuries worsen, and his bizarre behavior turns monstrous. To protect her daughter, Charlotte must decide whether to confront the danger outside or the growing horror within.

For in-depth thoughts on Wolf Man, please see my colleague Gaius Bolling’s review from its original theatrical release here. 

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Wolf Man offers a welcome uptick in quality over the already fetching accompanying Blu-Ray, making it a notably appealing sight. Black levels are terrific in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail and shadow definition. The highlights in the film are likewise more refined with whites exceptionally pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail observable on faces such as pores and hair. The increased range of the color spectrum is a victory for visual brilliance. The HDR10 enriches the colors to taller heights when it comes to natural vibrancy. The environments and lighting choices throughout the film will impress with the nuance of the hues on display. This 4K UHD presentation really delivers on all fronts including significant gains in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is great, but Universal has upped the ante on this latest 4K release. 

Audio Quality

This disc comes equipped with an amazing Dolby Atmos presentation that does not come up short at any point. The score from Benjamin Wallfisch permeates the room with undeniable presence. Dialogue is presented clearly without ever being clipped by any of the competing sonic elements. The horrific stalking scenes and environmental noises provide an all-encompassing soundscape that kicks in throughout all the speakers. The low end is engaged in a favorable way that will have you moving and shaking. 

Sounds are deftly deployed with precise directionality from the more kinetic scenes to interpersonal moments of dialogue. Ambient details are abundant and quite rewarding in the rear and overhead channels. The overhead channels serve to complement the other channels rather than carry the main load, which adds a valuable sense of space to the mix. The mix captures an experience that is impossible to hate if you have a great home theater system. Optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Co-writer/director Leigh Whannell delivers an informative commentary track in which he discusses the reasoning behind certain decisions, the location shooting, trying to capture as much practically as possible,  personal anecdotes from the set, inspiration from other sources, and more. 

• Unleashing A New Monster: An eight-minute piece that focuses on the new twist on this classic tale, the themes explored in this version, the work of Leigh Whannell, and more. 

• Designing Wolf Man: A nine-minute featurette that explores the design of the titular character and the makeup effects that helped bring him to life. 

• Hands-On Horror: A seven-minute look at the action-oriented developments in the film and how the performers pulled them off. 

• Nightmares and Soundscapes: A seven-minute featurette that takes a look at the audio/visual identity of the film. 

Final Thoughts

Wolf Man is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of injecting new life into a long-established property. Leigh Whannell is a solid director with good instincts, but this feels like the movie he would have made before graduating to the expert thrills of The Invisible Man. The fact that Wolf Man follows that movie makes the flaws seem more prominent, as this never comes close to touching the satisfying aspects of that film. This film is a disappointment in comparison, but, in a vacuum, it tackles various themes in an entertaining way with cool body horror and great performers brought on to sell these strong emotions. It is a bit rocky overall, but it is certainly worth a watch. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray which features a gorgeous A/V presentation and a decent array of supplemental features. Recommended 

Wolf Man is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.