***Ranks with the best werewolf movies***

"Big Bad Wolf" (2006) begins with a group of college teens going out to a desolate cabin to party. The bulk of the group is unlikable frat trash and the film goes over-the-top with the gore, nudity and naughtiness as a werewolf attacks. There's also a semi-campy edge that prevents the viewer from taking the material seriously; as such, it's thrilling, but not really scary.

The cabin angle of the story, however, ends by the close of the first act. The typical horror flick would use this for the entire plot (e.g. “Evil Dead”). I was wondering where they were going to go from here?

Despite the above negatives and the cartoonish CGI of the eventual transformation scene, everything comes together for an excellent werewolf flick. It all makes sense if you stick with it. Sam (the mechanic girl) comes off too-gruff at first, and it's a turn-off, but then it becomes clear that she was just able to see through the fakeness and superficiality of the frat trash and refused to take their sheet. Derek's the likable protagonist who's uncertain, but rises to the challenge when necessary. I found myself caring about these two and their potential relationship as the story progressed.

Whereas "Big Bad Wolf" shares similarities to "Fright Night” (1985), "Never Cry Werewolf" (2008) rips it off wholesale, just substituting a werewolf for a vampire (still, “Never Cry Werewolf” is a worthy werewolf flick).

What impressed me with "Fright Night" was the hideousness and wickedness of the vampire; "Big Bad Wolf" does the same thing with the werewolf, but ups the ante. The werewolf retains the intelligence of the man to a large degree, which is an interesting addition to werewolf lore, although I’m sure it’s been done before. Even more, they give dimension to the man who's infected by the werewolf curse. Good writing and attention to detail propels "Big Bad Wolf" to the head of the pack.

There's a rockin' soundtrack with an excellent cut that plays during the end credits, "Shelter" by Green Vinyl Dream.

This is a hard R-rated film with some very crude moments, mainly because the werewolf is thoroughly evil and some of the youths are frat trash, but if you can look beneath its gruff exterior it's got a good heart.

The film was shot in Semi Valley and Los Angeles, California, and runs 95 minutes.

GRADE: A-