Werewolves Within                        3 ½ stars

For a smart blend of the comedy horror genre you won’t be disappointed by Werewolves Within from director Josh Ruben and writer Mishna Wolff. This is a whodunit much like Knives Out, except that the “who” might be an animal with razor sharp claws based on the condition of the victims. It all takes place in the tiny isolated town of Beaverfield in the Northeast that suffers a snowstorm, blocked roads and a power failure all at the same time. Add to that a mysterious murder of one of the residents and you have the terrifying situation the townsfolk are faced with. Among the trapped are two newcomers, Finn the forest ranger (played by Sam Richardson who many will remember as the nerdy but talkative Richard from Veep) and Cecily the postal employee (Milana Vayntrub, who everyone knows from the AT&T commercials). The other townsfolk are divided over the prospect of a gas pipeline being planned for the area that promises some economic development for the town. Much like the country they come down at opposite extremes over the plan. There is also a hermit living just outside the town who is suspicious of everyone and becomes a suspect after the murders start. The comedy really ensues when the locals all gather inside the town’s inn for safety and it becomes clear that one of them is the killer. Then the title really applies as the accusations start and they begin to kill off each other based on suspicion and conjecture. Much of the comedy is generated by the stereotypes that the characters embody. The final reveal and climatic ending almost doesn’t matter by the time we get to it. The real point has already been made. The last time I had more fun with a comedy horror movie was last year’s The Hunt followed by 2019’s The Dead Don’t Die.