Late Phases is not a really easy sell. It's a pretty moody werewolf movie without a lot of action, and the werewolf design is... bold, shall we say. (It does *not* look like the box art.) Our main character is an old war vet who is blind, and most of the film takes place in a retirement community. And after an initial burst of werewolf excitement, nothing really happens for an hour or so. But still, something about it won me over. I'm not sure if it's just a different enough take on the werewolf genre, or the overall grim (but not depressing) vibe, or the stylish direction by Adrian Garcia Bogliano (Here Comes the Devil). It's kind of hard to put my finger on, but it just worked for me.
It centers on a Vietnam war veteran named Ambrose (Nick Damici), who has just moved to a retirement community with his seeing eye dog Shadow. His son Will (Ethan Embry) helps him get settled, but you can tell right away that the two of them have a rather strained relationship - Ambrose is portrayed as being a kind of bitter old man, and there is some tension between father and son regarding the former Mrs. Ambrose/Will's mother. On Ambrose's first night, he hears his neighbor being viciously attacked by a werewolf-ish creature, which eventually works it's way over to his house. Ambrose, of course, cannot see what it is, but senses that it is something significantly different than the puma that the police blame for the attack. Unfortunately, Shadow does not survive their encounter, and Ambrose spends a great deal of the film not only mourning the loss of his dog, but also preparing to go to battle with the creature the next time it pops up in the retirement community. Which it (eventually) does.
Late Phases is the kind of film where you really need to get on board with the lead character for it to work. Luckily, Damici does a great job as Ambrose. I've always thought he's kind of a badass (Stakeland was one of the first films that really opened my eyes to how excellent indie horror can be), and he continues to be one here. And even though he's kind of a bitter/abrasive character, Damici imparts just enough humor and friendliness (with the right people) to get you on his side. Plus, I was really impressed with his portrayal of a blind man. It has to be an extremely difficult thing to do, but I never questioned it here. I think Damici is playing a little older character than his actual age (which is well-obscured online), but I would guess he's supposed to be in his mid 60s in the film. But he looks hardened enough (and the makeup is believable enough) to sell him as an older man.
The supporting cast is good too. Ethan Embry is solid as Ambrose's son - it's important that you can see his character's perspective as well, and Embry is sympathetic enough that you understand what his character is going through. He does a good job conveying the frustration and conflict of being the caretaker of a father who probably wasn't that good to him growing up. And there are also two great supporting roles for character actors that I always love seeing. Larry Fessenden brings a little humor to the film in his small role as a headstone salesman. And Tom Noonan is excellent as a cigarette loving priest who strikes up a friendship with Ambrose. Neither of them are really major parts of the the film, but they both make it considerably more enjoyable.
The film looks really good and the direction is solid - not crazy stylish, but certainly not pedestrian. Bogliano frames his shots well, and allows you to see just enough of the action to be intrigued, but also leaves you wanting more. That's sort of the M.O. for the first two-thirds of the movie actually - you get interesting set ups (and one big attack), but very little pay off until the last act. But the film looks good enough, and is filled with enough solid performances and interesting/thoughtful bits of dialogue that it never feels like a waiting game.
The horror elements of the film will probably be rather divisive. I dug the creature design, but there is no denying that it's different than what you expect from a werewolf film. It kind of looks like a werewolf crossed with a gremlin, and to be perfectly honest, it looks sort of goofy in action. There are a couple of shots where it jumps and while you cannot see the wires it just doesn't move realistically at all. But for some reason, it still works. I don't think Late Phases is the kind of movie that is really even concerned with being realistic in plot/action. When you really start to think about the movie it kind of falls apart. (Why wouldn't they keep the retirement community under closer watch after a string of murders?) But I guess the important thing is that the characters seem realistic, which seems to be the main focus of the film.
The transformation scene is all right, and it's done in a way that seems (a) mostly practical, and (b) shot as one take. It's not the best I've ever seen, but it's very different. So even though it doesn't totally work, I admire them for approaching it from a new angle. The gore is just fine - it's certainly not a film for the gorehounds, but you get the occasional post-attack pile of gore that probably won't be making it into the TV cut of the film.
And... a dog!
Name: Shadow
Breed: German Shepard (mix?)
Function: Shadow is Ambrose's seeing eye dog and companion. And sadly, he doesn't make it through the first werewolf attack. But his death serves as a motivating force for Ambrose, as well as something for him to dwell on for the rest of the film.
Fate: As I said, he doesn't make it. But it's kind of interesting to note how seeing a wounded dog is very, very sad, while seeing a disemboweled woman next to him is not a big deal. At least in a movie.
So Late Phases is a pretty good watch. It's not a thrill-a-minute type horror film, but it's got good performances, good characters, and enough dramatic heft to make it really enjoyable. There are some interesting concepts that weave their way throughout the story - the power of religion, the effects of war, the father/son relationship, mortality (Ambrose, upon being welcomed to the retirement community: "People don't come to places like this to live, they come here to die."). All that, and a pretty cool werewolf. It's definitely an interesting take on the genre; and while overall it's a little moody it's still refreshing to get something different.
I would recommend this film.
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