We recently went on a binge of 80’s vampire and werewolf movies. The first was Silver Bullet, and we watched it for the very first time over the weekend. Here’s my review. Please note that there will be links to purchase the movie if you’d like in this review, which will help support my site.

Some movies succeed in spite of their cheesiness. Silver Bullet succeeds because of it. This 1985 adaptation of Stephen King’s illustrated novella Cycle of the Werewolf is a joyous, slightly ridiculous slice of mid-80s horror that knows exactly what kind of movie it is and commits to it with total sincerity. Watching it for the first time decades after its release, I was hooked from the opening scenes and grinning through the finale. For anyone who loves a good campy werewolf movie, this one belongs near the top of the pile.

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The setup is classic small-town Stephen King. In the sleepy Maine community of Tarker’s Mills, a series of brutal killings begins to rattle the residents, with each attack tied to the cycle of the full moon. The town responds the way small towns in horror movies always do, with fear, suspicion, and a lot of bad decisions. Armed mobs form, the sheriff struggles to keep order, and nobody wants to say out loud what they all suspect is happening. The film builds that creeping dread nicely, giving the early stretches a legitimately spooky, folk-tale quality before the fun really kicks in.

What makes the movie such a treat is its trio of heroes. Corey Haim plays Marty, a wheelchair-using kid who stumbles into the werewolf mystery after a late-night encounter with the creature. His tricked-out motorized wheelchair, nicknamed the Silver Bullet, is one of the great goofy details of 80s cinema, a souped-up ride that doubles as both a character trait and a fantastic action prop. Megan Follows is wonderful as his older sister Jane, who narrates the story with a warmth and wry humor that gives the film a storybook feel. And then there is Gary Busey as Uncle Red, a boozy, irresponsible, utterly lovable black sheep who becomes the unlikely hero of the whole thing. Busey is in his element here, and every scene he shares with the kids crackles with a sweet, scruffy chemistry.

Silver Bullet Available on Prime Video for $4.99-9.99

The werewolf itself is a delight for fans of practical effects. Creature work by Carlo Rambaldi, the artist behind E.T., gives the monster a menacing, rubbery, gloriously physical presence that no modern CGI beast could replicate. Yes, the transformation scenes are a little goofy and the creature design has a charmingly handmade quality, but that is exactly the point. This is a monster movie built from latex, fog, and old-fashioned showmanship, and the whole thing feels better for it. The kills are gruesome enough to deliver real thrills without losing the fun.

The mystery element deserves credit too. The film keeps the audience guessing about who the werewolf might be, sprinkling clues and red herrings throughout the story, and the eventual reveal lands with a satisfying jolt. Marty and Jane piecing it together while the adults in town flail in the dark gives the movie an adventurous, kids-versus-the-monster energy that recalls the best Amblin-era fare, only with a lot more blood. The pacing moves along briskly across its 95 minutes, with enough atmosphere to keep it spooky and enough humor to keep it breezy.

The final confrontation delivers everything a werewolf fan could want: a tense showdown, a clever bit of preparation, and a gloriously over-the-top payoff. It plays exactly the way a campy 80s monster movie should, with big emotions, bigger effects, and a heroic send-off that earns its cheers. There is real heart here, too. The bond between Marty and Uncle Red gives the finale genuine weight beneath all the fur and fangs.

Charming, creepy, and endlessly rewatchable, Silver Bullet is a perfect Friday-night horror pick and a standout among campy werewolf movies. It is a reminder that the best monster movies are not afraid to have fun, and this one has more fun than almost any of its peers. Pop some popcorn, wait for the full moon, and enjoy.