Wyvern

Wyvern (2009)

This is a typical creature feature with a small isolated Alaskan town being terrorized by a mythical Nordic creature that has been released from it’s icy prison (damn that global warming!). Initially the locals don’t believe that there is a giant flying reptilian gobbling down their neighbors. See the down is coming off of an extended period of daylight where everyone gets a bit loopy from the lack of night. But when the Wyvern shows up at the solstice festival and snaps up a few more locals everyone realizes they are in trouble. Lucky for them a tortured stranger is around to become their hero and banish his personal demons while saving their butts.

Unlike many of the low budget sci-fi channel flicks that I’ve seen Wyvern really is a fun movie to watch. The story is very familiar and includes everything you would expect form an old school monster movie. No one believes that there really is a creature running around, until it shows up at a big event. The movie establishes a love triangle between the local beauty, the mysterious stranger, and of course the slightly full of himself local that can’t understand why she doesn’t pick him. The mysterious stranger manages to rise to the occasion and save the town while solving his own personal issues. Speaking of characters Wyvern also establishes some really goofy and fun locals like the town’s deputy (another great performance from Elaine Miles). Genre favorites Barry Corbin (Critters 2: The Main Course) and the late Don S. Davis (Twin Peaks, Stargate SG-1) also make appearances and are great in their roles. See I just have to say that anyone can make a cheesy monster movie, but it takes talent to make one really entertaining. Wyvern is more about the quirky characters and the cool cast that is allowed to flesh them out before being eaten by a giant CGI dragon/wyvern! In that way Wyvern really reminds me of the original Tremors movie and I found it very entertaining.

Other than some gooey bits and pieces from left over victims Wyvern is all handled with CGI. The digital effects aren’t great and do look a bit cheesy. But unlike many of the other lower budget sci-fi channel movies this one isn’t in love with it’s creature. We don’t see the Wyvern all that much, which is a good thing. That said I guess because of the overall feel of the movie and how much I enjoyed the characters and story the effects didn’t annoy me at all. When the movie spends it’s runtime “winking” at you and letting you in on the joke then a goofy looking CGI monster just works. Plus have you seen some of the rubber suits from the 50’s?

Bottom line here is that I believe the filmmakers set out to make a fun and silly monster movie. Wyvern is a fun and silly monster movie that I’m glad to have in my collection. As a rabid fan of such movies from the 50s and 60s I can’t ask for anything more. I recommend Wyvern as a fun way to kill a couple of hours.

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer