Clean-cut college freshman Todd Howard (blandly played by Jason Bateman) becomes the star of the boxing team and the most popular guy on campus after he discovers that he's a werewolf. Christopher Leitch's by-the-numbers direction fails to bring any freshness to the hopelessly clichéd and straight-down-the-line grindingly predictable story. Tim Kring's slapdash script not only blatantly rehashes the plot of the far superior original sans any wit, charm, or warmth, but also recycles entire gags and even the central message about being true to yourself. Worse yet, two of the most amusing and entertaining characters from the first one are recast with lesser actors: Paul Sands makes for a terribly glum and mopey Coach Finstock while Stuart Fratkin grates on the nerves something painful as slick hustler Stiles. James Hampton is wasted in a minor part as Uncle Howard and Mark Holton likewise isn't given much worthwhile to do as Chubby. This picture hits its absolute groan-inducing nadir with a simply pathetic song and dance number set to the song "Do You Love Me?" and the especially dopey moment when Todd catches a Frisbee in his teeth. On the plus side, Kim Darby tries hard as the sympathetic Professor Brooks, the fetching Estee Chandler delivers an appealing performance as the sweet Nicki, and John Astin hams it up with deliciously lip-smacking brio as the slimy Dean Dunn. Only the climactic exciting rough'n'tumble boxing match manages to rise out of the mire of numbing mediocrity. Pretty stinky.
Review of Teen Wolf Too
