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It is strange that within two months, Apple TV+ has two movies with premises that revolve around the “can they co-exist?” trope: The Instigators and now Wolfs, starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney. On paper, Jon Watts' first non-Marvel movie since 2015's Cop Car should be a home run.
In execution, Wolfs is lacking, not for lack of effort. Pitt and Clooney make for an entertaining duo, but their better reunion will come in Ocean's 14. At least The Instigators was funny, whereas Wolfs features two grumpy men where the punchline is exactly that: They're too old for this. (They need reading glasses, and their bones crack — hilarious!)
It is a shame, though. Wolfs looks good, and Watts deserves some credit for breaking out of the MCU mold after years in the machine. But his latest movie is too focused on franchising itself rather than being a solid standalone adventure. Never put the cart before the horse, kids.
Wolfs review
The premise alone of Wolfs sounds interesting. A politician, played by Amy Ryan, calls in a fixer to get rid of a body in her hotel room.
Jack (George Clooney) first arrives on the scene. The experienced fixer seems to know how to handle the situation. Another fixer enters the fray: Nick (Brad Pitt), sent from a different source.
The two hard-headed men are forced to work together to solve the problem. Twists and turns ensue as the two navigate the streets of New York City.
Brad Pitt and George Clooney's reunion
On paper, Wolfs sounds like a great time. As much as I would love to say, “They don't make movies like this anymore,” Apple just did. The trope of two independent “lone wolves” has been done to death. But what is Wolfs' spin on it?
Is it the reunion of Pitt and Clooney, who previously starred in the Ocean's franchise together? Possibly. But Watts over-relies on the star power to carry his movie if that is the case.
To its credit, the opening 20 minutes are an easy sell. Once Jack and Nick leave the hotel room, the movie dips. Despite visual homages to New York City noir movies, Wolfs may reach above its weight class.
As the movie continues, too many ideas are introduced. From crime families to potential double crosses, Wolfs has the ambitions to be MCU and Martin Scorsese-sized simultaneously. Needless to say, that effort hardly works.
Jon Watts' best filmmaking
It has been years since Wolfs director Jon Watts has had full control of his movie. He wrote and directed his first two feature films, Clown and Cop Car, and co-wrote Spider-Man: Homecoming with five others.
Wolfs feels like Watts' coming-out party in that it is much more refined from a filmmaking standpoint than his three Spider-Man movies. The aesthetic is inspired by '70s noir movies. To that end, Watts deserves credit.
In his script, Watts leans on sensory overload on several occasions. There are several scenes where Pitt and Clooney speak over each other. It is mixed so proficiently that it is hard to tell who is saying what.
And there are some clever jokes in there. At one point, Pitt and Clooney swap curse words after getting frustrated, and the addition of Austin Abrams as the Kid makes for funny moments. He even gives Abrams a monologue, which he delivers a lot more convincingly than his Do Revenge performance.
A sequel?
Without spoilers, the ending of Wolfs sets up another movie in the franchise. Make of that what you will — a star-studded straight-to-streaming movie getting a sequel before it comes out — but Watts seems too eager to get to the destination. In turn, he loses sight of making Wolfs good on its own.
Once the action hits the mean streets of New York City, Wolfs hits a halt. While not mind-numbingly dull, the story feels like a series of side missions in a video game more than a movie. It is almost like Watts was aspiring to make After Hours with Pitt and Clooney in the leads.
The frustrating thing is that Wolfs seems to be nearing a logical bookend in the third act. Something feels off, though, as it keeps getting delayed.
That is when a cliffhanger ending sets up a Wolfs 2. No spoilers, but it was frustrating to watch a satisfying conclusion get wrecked by the need for a sequel.
Should you watch Wolfs?
Wolfs is not perfect, nd its constant need to become a franchise hinders an ultimately fine movie. Brad Pitt and George Clooney's reunion in Wolfs is the selling point, but the rest hinges on them rekindling the magic of yesteryear.
To his credit, Watts tries to reestablish himself after spending so much time in the MCU. His latest is too much style over substance.
In a different year, Wolfs would be a mid-budget, star-studded affair that would make over $100 million at the box office. Unfortunately, in 2024, it will get lost in the shuffle of streaming thanks to its Apple TV+ exclusive release.
Grade: C
Wolfs will be released on September 27 on Apple TV+.
