To Kill A Wolf (2024)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

In a modern retelling of the classic tale of little red riding hood, To Kill A Wolf explores the dark, neverending expanses of humanity. When an isolated man finds a young girl stranded in the woods, he does what he can to help–but human nature presents itself in a way that traumatizes, challenges, and wounds in a way that could never be expected. 

The hyperreal visuals immerse viewers in a world of trauma, distress, and interesting promise. To Kill A Wolf could fail in all other aspects, and the film’s aesthetic would be enough to carry it. Those vibrant, immersive shots provide viewers with a vivid and uncomfortably close presentation of every character present in this film. Rarely do I find myself moved by a set. Sure, I appreciate the set design and the role it plays in a film, but what To Kill A Wolf does is one of a kind, and one of the greatest visual displays that I’ve ever experienced in my journey through film. Let me make this abundantly clear: I wrote this specific part of my review after seeing only twelve minutes of To Kill A Wolf. To create something that is visceral and immersive in such a short amount of time (particularly in a feature-length film), and for my stance never to change, is one of the greatest feats I’ve ever experienced in film. 

This film delves deep into psychology in a way that extends beyond what the standard person is able to comprehend. I heard terms that I hadn’t heard since Psychology 101, and while there’s a familiarity there, I couldn’t fully comprehend those conversations as a whole. This has the potential to frustrate viewers, but I believe that the sophistication of Writer-Director Kelsey Taylor’s script delivers intelligence in a way that humbles viewers and reminds them of the vast expanse in which we live. It refuses to be direct in its message, effectively creating something of an existential mystery for viewers to dissect. 

What’s brilliant beyond this aspect of To Kill A Wolf is the fact that if viewers choose to ignore this piece of the film, the narrative is compelling enough to reel them in and intrigue them for its ninety-minute runtime. Linear, honest, but beautifully twisted, To Kill A Wolf is psychologically and emotionally tantalizing in a way that transcends audiences. 

To Kill A Wolf is contemporarily and ironically funny, creating a sense of levity among a dark and heavy tone that transcends the film in full. However, that comedy exists primarily in the early half of the film, almost preparing viewers for the dark, sadistic turn that would soon come. There’s always been a subtle, implied sexuality to “Little Red Cap,” but that subtlety shifts into something more direct in To Kill A Wolf, a film unafraid to ruffle some feathers and antagonize viewers. This aspect of the film is uncomfortable and trying–but it’s developed in a way that feels harshly honest and ultimately welcome. 

By the time To Kill A Wolf comes to a close (and it honestly flies by), I had become completely immersed in a world both wildly different, but equally sadistic as the one in which we currently live. A powerful metaphor is To Kill A Wolf. Brought to life by the prowess of Taylor and impeccable performance, To Kill A Wolf is one of the most visually captivating and existentially brilliant films of the year. 

Written & Directed by Kelsey Taylor. 

Starring Maddison Brown, Ivan Martin, Kaitlin Doubleday, Michael Esper, Dana Millican, etc.

9/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW