Episode 290: 'Voice of Shadows' (2024)/'Lord of Wolves' (2024)

Adventures in Movies!

It has been an odd year for horror at the box office. While the big name movies have done little to move the needle, indie horror is doing record breaking business. There is one notable exception that has not made this a complete shutout for horror in theaters. And it is not one of the many theatrical re-releases that have come out this year.

Voice of Shadows gets off to a confusing start. It has an emotionally charged monologue that is immediately followed by a title card that includes two upside down crosses and a pentagram. Someone watching will have no idea what to expect. It is not long before it is clear you are going to be in for a lot of the former and little of the latter.

It ends up being a rough watch and it is not hard to see why. The lead actor is not able to believably pull off what the script requires. This may not be entirely his fault - he is tasked to carry all of the film’s emotion for the entire hour and a half - but it is very noticeable. Paired with a cut and paste plot that still manages to be confusing and a litany of plot holes, and Voice of Shadows becomes a very rough watch.

Lord of Wolves is unlike any werewolf movie we have ever seen. (To be fair, to call it a werewolf movie is not entirely accurate.) It has a number of strong characters, a deep message, and relies little on transformations and gore. It is a character study, but not in the same way these types of films tend to be.

There is a lot going on here in a short amount of time. It really should not work. And yet, strong storytelling and a strong mystery will keep audiences interested. The creature design manages to be simultaneously badass and hokey. It could have been something special if not for one thing.

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com