Arguably no two actors embodied early 21st century Hollywood glamor more than Brad Pitt and George Clooney. Age-wise, the actors may have reached silver fox status, but for Pitt and Clooney's new project together, they’re lone wolves. Or Wolfs, rather, as the 2024 movie calendar would have it. The Jon Watts action-comedy premiered September 1 at the Venice Film Festival, and critics are saying that the stars still bring the charm, but that’s about all there is to this movie. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Let's find out.
“Forever friends” George Clooney and Brad Pitt have teamed up again to play professional fixers who typically insist on working alone, until a new job requires them to join forces. Audiences will be able to see the fun and fights that ensue for Wolfs’ limited theatrical run starting September 20 before it’s available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription a week later. So what are the critics saying? In CinemaBlend's review of Wolfs, Mike Reyes calls it an "effortless treat" that doesn't rest on the laurels of its marquee stars. He rates it 3.5 out of 5 stars, writing:
A tightly plotted film with a steady pace, Wolfs sprinkles humor and charm amidst the steady dose of bullets, punchlines, and conspiracy theories it engages in. If you’re one of those movie fans who’s lamented the lack of adult-oriented fun in the world of blockbusters, this romp should not only hold you over, but fuel your need for more.
William Bibbiani of The Wrap praises the cinematography and says writer/director Jon Watts seems to be stretching his legs a bit after his foray into the MCU. While the critic says the movie is good, it doesn’t really go much deeper than its stars standing next to each other, looking cool and saying cool things. Bibbiani continues:
Wolfs is a very enjoyable film, even if its joy stems from minor frivolity. It’s a movie about cool people looking and acting cool, for the enjoyment of the (probably uncool) people in the audience. They call it ‘star power’ because it dazzles. Then again, the problem is that there’s no real problem, and that has two meanings. It’s all well and good to make a sleek and handsome cinematic star vehicle just to make everyone happy. But without any real edge or danger, that happiness doesn’t last very long. Wolfs shines bright, fades fast, and leaves a good-looking after-image on the screen.
Jordan Mintzer of THR writes that the two leading men carry the film from start to finish, even though there’s ultimately not that much to carry. Will teens and 20-somethings be as enamored with the A-listers as generations who saw Ocean’s Eleven in theaters, Mintzer wonders? That remains to be seen, but either way, Jon Watts has provided a clever but flimsy comedy. The critic says:
Wolfs is a work that deserves big-screen attention — instead of being viewed in bed on a MacBook that’s resting on top of your crotch. Written and directed by Jon Watts, who, after a lengthy stint in the Marvel Universe, returns to the caper mode of his 2015 breakthrough Cop Car, the movie has twists galore and showcases a slick, deadpan style you hardly see in Hollywood anymore. Both fun and thin at the same time, it’s not about much in the end except the idea of reuniting Pitt and Clooney to see if they still have their magic, which they mostly do.
Nicholas Barber of the BBC disagrees that Wolfs deserves the big-screen treatment, saying that despite Pitt and Clooney “looking cooler than a pair of cucumbers,” the movie is the kind of watchable but forgettable time-passer that the best streaming services were made for. Barber rates it 3 out of 5 stars, writing:
The trouble is that its two handsome heroes are sheep in wolves' clothing – or wolfs' clothing, even. Pitt is the cheekier of the two, and Clooney is the grumpier, but they're both terse, reserved dudes who walk and talk slowly, and even their sparring is limited to muttered insults and minor disagreements. Deadpool & Wolverine, they ain't. Just to add to the easy-going feel, the plot is several twists and revelations short of what this sort of nocturnal odyssey needs.
Damon Wise of Deadline notes that the leads bicker and snark at each other effortlessly, but he gets the feeling they might be having more fun than the audience. Wise writes:
The camaraderie is palpable and genuine, but the repartee is forced in comparison to the gentle physical comedy that both are so good at (and which they telegraphed so well in their best joint effort, the Coens’ 2008 Burn After Reading). The rat-a-tat dialogue, which at times seems self-congratulatory rather than funny, is particularly wearing, distracting from the needlessly verbose final reveal, which comes out (or does it?) in a head-spinning back-and-forth.
We’ll have to see if Brad Pitt and George Clooney are cool enough to drum up some big box office numbers before going to streaming, but either way, it looks like the fixers will be returning for Wolfs 2. Check your local listings to see how to see this action comedy in its limited release on September 20, or fire up Apple TV+ starting September 27.
