PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Jared Padelecki has been in a ton of movies and films in his life. Whether he’s Thomas Kinkade, Dean Forester, Walker Texas Ranger or Sam Winchester, Jared has been a busy man the last 26 years. At a recent interview conducted during Fan Expo Boston, Jared was asked if he could have imagined playing Walker while the real Walker was still on the air while Jared was filming Gilmore Girls. Jared answered he liked the show but never saw himself in the role. What someone should have asked, is how in the world he ended up being in the 2005 suspense movie CRY WOLF.
What exactly is CRY WOLF? At an elite boarding school, new student Owen (Julian Morris – Hand of God 2014) meets Tom (Jared Padalecki – House of Wax 2005) Mercedes (Sandra McCoy – House of Fears 2007), Dodger (Lindy Booth – Wrong Turn 2003), Regina (Kristy Wu – End of Watch 2012), Graham (Ethan Cohn – Lady In The Water 2006), Lewis (Paul James – Desecrated 2015) and Randall (Jesse Janzen – First Date 2021). The group is buzzing because another student at the school named Becky (Erica Yates – Leave Me Behind 2008) has been apparently murdered by wolves.
Dodger says they should play a game called Cry Wolf, where one of them is a serial killer but can’t tell anyone. The group decides to send a school wide email that Becky’s killer wears an orange mask and a green jacket, calling themselves “The Wolf.” Owen’s teacher, Mr. Walker (Jon Bon Jovi – U-571 2000) thinks they’re being foolish but then as Owen digs deeper, he finds that this isn’t just a game. Someone was actually murdered and Owen has to find out who really did it? Who done it? Watch the movie and find out.
Want to know how this movie was even made? Writer and director Jeff Wadlow won a million dollar contest sponsored by Chrysler. Yes, of course I’m serious. If you want to know why the character Tom is driving a Chrysler in the movie, that’s why. Long story short, Wadlow was given a million dollars to come up with an independent movie and thus, CRY WOLF was born. With only a million dollar budget, its a wonder he got the cast he did. Gary Cole of Office Space fame is Owen’s father, Jon Bon Jovi himself is the teacher and Jared Padalecki had already been a big star on Gilmore Girls. Still, on a limited budget its difficult to come up with a film so Wadlow had to rely on story rather than substance. Creating a “Whodunnit” where everyone runs around confused saves money on props and explosives that other movies might use.
Now for the horror elements. Is there T & A? No. Is there a lot of gore? No. Is there anything actually scary? Not really. This was more suspense than it was straight horror. Most slasher movies have a bunch of creative kills, CRY WOLF does not. Still, the movie’s bread and butter is the suspense element of “who can you trust?” Not really a spoiler but the answer is nobody. The twist at the end at least makes sense, but the short answer is don’t trust anybody. Now for the box office. The movie grossed $32 million which given the one million dollar budget, has to be considered a success.
Now for the legacy. It doesn’t really have one. Its one of those “under the radar” movies that was good but not really memorable. There were no creative kills like House of Wax and it wasn’t woefully abysmal like House of Fear also starring Sandra McCoy. Speaking of her, McCoy and Padalecki ended up becoming a couple and that got Jared a brief cameo in Sandra’s movie House of Fear, while Sandra played a minor role in an episode of Supernatural.
Julian Morris went on to star in some great British shows, including Emmy winner Man In an Orange Shirt. Lindy Booth has gotten steady work over the years and Gary Cole replaced Mark Harmon on NCIS. Jon Bon Jovi needs no introduction and while CRY WOLF was premiering, the band Bon Jovi released Have a Nice Day. Jeff Wadlow went on direct the Fight Club knockoff Never Back Down and the more successful Kick-Ass 2.
All in all, Cry Wolf wasn’t bad but wasn’t exceptional either. For a movie built on just one million dollars, the fact it was even watchable in this day and age is a success. Some of the actors had a legacy before and after but for some, this was the best it got. It was a classic “who done it” that wasn’t as epic as Knives Out, but it didn’t suck either. If you want a story rather than gore, this is for you. Try to watch Cry Wolf if you can, if nothing else but to see Bon Jovi and Jared Padalecki.
