Models vs. Werewolves (Blu-ray Review)
Director
Danny DravenRelease Date(s)
2026 (October 13, 2026)Studio(s)
ReelShort/Full Moon Films (Full Moon Features)- Film/Program Grade: B-
- Video Grade: B+
- Audio Grade: B+
- Extras Grade: B+
Review
This one is a toughie for me. I love Full Moon films; they’re fun and sincere audience pleasers. Charles Band is a smart filmmaker in the vein of Castle and Corman. He makes “so bad it’s good” films with limited budgets and most of the time they end up as watchable classics, and what he has in the way of budgets fully show up on the screen. So, it shouldn’t be a shocker that he would see A.I. as a shiny option in his filmmaking arsenal. I’m not sure if Full Moon’s new release, Models vs. Werewolves, is their first movie to fully embrace A.I. (which they are calling “Blood-o-Vision” I’m guessing, there’s some ball hiding regarding the use of A.I. in this film) but it’s pretty obvious and it’s left me wondering if it’s a good thing or bad.
Models vs. Werewolves is a simple movie. A group of social media influencers slash models book an Airbnb cabin in the woods to take advantage of a once in a lifetime full moon for content creation. It’s no spoiler considering the title, that a full moon means werewolves and considering models are diametrically opposed to werewolves on the mutual predation chart that things are going to get bloody. Models vs. Werewolves is a competent Full Moon film. It’s goofy but fun. Unbelievable in tone but held together by talented actors in front of the camera and solid filmmakers behind. Filmmaker Danny Draven, who gave us Full Moon’s fun Bad CGI Gator, is a smart director and knows exactly what he’s making and delivers exactly what you want to see. He takes story weakness and acknowledges it but adds enough to it that you enjoy the bad movie you’re watching. And that’s great for these types of films. But dammit, the A.I. effects get in the way of really saluting this film. I hate that it was used, but then I must ask myself: would this be as fun without it? If the monsters and atmosphere and the gore make the film lesser, if all of it was bad effects and awkwardly shot practicals. I don’t have an answer. The good thing, I guess, is as much as it’s used here, it is being used as a tool. A lot of the film is practically shot so the A.I. is stepping things up. There’s an A.I. stylization to the background effects and the gore that reads “A.I. shot!” but the acting is real and the actresses are acting opposite a man-in-suit. Still, it didn’t make me change my tune on A.I. being used like this. But I still like this little movie more than I should. I’ll just chalk that up to Draven. That will make me feel better, I guess.
Clearly digitally shot and produced, the film looks good on Blu-ray. It’s a solid 1080p transfer presented in 1.78:1 with good detail, nice color tones and solid blacks. Sound is an equally solid Dolby Digital 5.1, as well as DD 2.0 with English chyron styled subtitles that I did not like. Fix that Full Moon. There’s also an isolated score in Dolby Digital 2.0 for the music fans out there. Extras include a commentary with Draven walking through the film’s production, thoughts on cast and crew and how quickly the film came together. There’s a trailer for this and other Full Moon films: Bad CGI Gator, Weedjies: Halloween Night, Robotica, The Primevals and Gingerweed Man. A behind-the-scenes Videozone episode and a vertically filmed intro by Charles Band from a cast and crew screening round it out.
Maybe you’re not torn about A.I. and you don’t care, seeing it as a natural progression to being an artist. Good on you. If you like B-movies too, then you’ll enjoy this film. It’s well made, has fun characters and it’s well-acted. If you’re curious about a potential future, this is a good example of a filmmaker using bad for good. But if you’re firmly against it—this movie may piss you off, so you should stay away. I had no idea going in, otherwise I probably would have avoided it.
- Todd Doogan