Freddy Lupin has returned for some interesting action in 200% Wolf. This sequel follows the 2020 film, 100% Wolf, which is rooted in Jane Lyons’ book series and it seems to be a nearly a little rough just like the first one. In spite of noticeable advancements and being good-hearted and sincere with the right messages on respecting oneself and overcoming fears that are meant to entertain both children and adults, 200% Wolf is weak and predictable, and sorely lacks imagination as the prior film due to cliched techniques and tropes.
Summary
Returning once again is feisty and heroic young poodle Freddy Lupin (Ilai Swindells) who is ready for more hairy adventures in 200% Wolf. He is looking for respect and power from his senior folks which makes him want to become a werewolf. However, Freddy is soon taught to be careful what he wishes for when he is bestowed the power and a troublesome baby moon spirit comes to Earth. With the help of his friend Batty (Samara Weaving), an evil witch, and a bunch of dog friends, Freddy embarks on a journey to make sure the moon spirit gets back home and peace is restored on Earth before it’s too late.
Review
The actual disservice with 200% Wolf is that the real enjoyment starts after around the 25 to 30 minute mark, which puts it in the line of losing some viewers prematurely. Even with the action, the first half of the film feels such a sluggish pace that everything turns out to be extremely out of place and unnatural. It is difficult to sympathise with any of the characters and gauge what their journey would look like or how the stakes involve the drama. After this, it’s as if the entire screenplay with a defibrillator has been resurrected. However, there are still a lot of plot points that are vague and just ambiguously missing without ever explaining themselves, the energy is up, the jokes hit their targets better and the emotional beats feel even more refined. The issue is that even with these changes, the early weaknesses of the movie may be the deal breaker for the audience depending on the specifics.
This film is driven by Swindell’s and Weaving’s voice acting talents. Weaving’s voice, sense of comedic timing and delivery of Swindell’s zany overconfidence as Freddy injects more energy into the otherwise dull screenplay. In fact, they overshadow the baby moon spirit those who were probably the stars of the production.
As a team, they manage to alleviate the kurcheese in the most cheesy lines and also help hit the most emotional moments. In fact, it feels like they are quite noticeable for the wrong reasons.
The wait for the graphics and animations is worth it because they are impressive. They are gone with the 2020 film. More risks were taken regarding the colors and designs as a lot of different colors, patterns and textures were mixed and matched making the film aesthetically pleasing and adding vibrancy, spookiness, and depth that the last film completely lacked. And combined with the more elegant confident animations, this version of the wolfish world is far more enjoyable this time round.
200% Wolf is simply a satisfactory children’s film. It aint a blockbuster but it is just enough to make this a decent viewing for the family during various holidays. If anything, since the storyline is centered around unimaginable beings and a darker theme, this is even perfect for parents to let their small children watch as Halloween is just around the corner. They can get the grasp of werewolves and the supernatural all around them but in a context that is cuter rather than blood and guts.
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