Bad CGI Gator director Danny Draven returns with Models vs. Werewolves—a lean, mean 74-minute satirical slasher-comedy that delivers high-octane camp, cartoonish gore and an affectionate ribbing of modern influencer culture as five self-absorbed models plan a rural Southern California Airbnb getaway to bond and fulfill the Moon Manifestation—a cosmic ritual that only occurs once every 500 years.
Eileen (Rebecca Stoughton) is the delusional group lead, obsessed with zodiac signs and essential oils. Hayley (Sarah Moliski) is the sarcastic voice of reason; Tina (Sophie Swiscz) is the fitness-obsessed one; Neli (Alexa Reddy) is the naive ingénue; and Niki (Hannah Hueston) is hustling her foot pics to Saudi princes on OnlyFans.
Their host, Judith (played by someone who knows something about werewolves, The Howling star Dee Wallace), welcomes them for their man-free weekend. Naturally, the estate sits smack-dab in the middle of a hunting ground for an ancient pack of bloodthirsty, shape-shifting lycanthropes. Is this Dr. George Waggner’s Colony? When Tina’s nightly jog turns fatal, and Niki’s intimate rendezvous with a local suitor gets interrupted by a werewolf biting off more than he can chew, the remaining models realize their follower counts won’t save them from becoming dog food.
What makes Models vs. Werewolves work is that it completely understands its assignment. Hugo Velazco’s high-concept idea and J.P. Talbot’s script weave surprisingly clever genre nods into the absurdity. Niki’s subplot acts as a delightfully twisted, postmodern riff on Tex Avery’s classic 1943 animated short Red Hot Riding Hood, giving her character an unexpected fatalistic edge.
Visually, the film operates somewhere between full-on B-movie practicality and surreal digital excess. The creature effects combine practical prosthetics, digital enhancements and a bit of stylized AI visual work. I get it, some people are going to hate on it no matter what, but it was so over the top here that it felt like the film was almost making fun of these kinds of effects. I mean, the gore is loud, over-the-top and splashed across the frame.
There’s even a part where the girls watch Trancers.
The Full Moon release includes an audio commentary with Draven, an introduction by Charles Band, behind-the-scenes footage, an isolated music score and a trailer. You can get it from MVD.
