First Moon Movie Review
If you’ve been a reader of my reviews for some time, then you’re aware I’m a big fan of werewolf films. I’m the biggest fan of well-made werewolf films that have engaging, cohesive storylines with great acting and fantastic special effects. With that out of the way, I’m here to share my thoughts on an Australian werewolf tale that I just watched called First Moon. Did this one leave me howling with joy or whimpering for a silver bullet? Read on to find out.
First Moon comes to us from writer/director Peter McLeod and stars Lauren Esposito (The Conjuring 2) as a young woman named Jessica who’s been kidnapped by a torturous religious cult. They fear she’s infected with a sexually transmitted werewolf virus. They have to “cure” or kill her before she transforms into a creature with the light of the first full moon. Sounds like a fun premise, right? Unfortunately, First Moon teases more fun in its trailer than the movie itself yields.
First Moon is a slow burn. The runtime is 1:37 and while that doesn’t sound so bad, it can seem like a lifetime when a movie drags. First Moon unfortunately hits a point where it loses steam and becomes just conversations in dark rooms for a while. I can’t recall what these conversations were about, because I unfortunately tuned out.
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I should also mention the horrible digital effects that come into play during important flashback scenes. These digital effects are best described as amateurish. My last bitch-and-moan is that the lackluster werewolf transformation doesn’t take place until near the end of the film. So…there’s that.
It isn’t ALL bad. I love the way the werewolf virus is transmitted. That’s a fresh take on the lore. I also enjoy the religious angle and how evil the sect is. The casting of the cult is perfect. Shannon Ryan (Elyse), Soren Jensen (Father Torquemada) and Anthony Ciccotosto (Marcus) are all fantastic as the sadistic people of the cloth who get off on eradicating werewolves.
The gore in First Moon is both well done and satisfying. I just wish there had been a little more of it, since it IS a werewolf movie, after all. The FX and werewolf creature were created by the always phenomenal Thomas E. Surprenant (Donnie Darko, Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
Overall, First Moon is worth a watch if you’re looking for a new take on the werewolf lore. Again, it’s not a perfect film as it is slow and confusing. But hey, there’s a lot worse out there. If you want to see First Moon for yourself, it’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime for $4.99.
