“Hyenas” is a 2011 American comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Kerslake and written by Joe Sykes. The film stars an ensemble cast including Joe Manganiello, Kelsey Grammer, Thomas Jane, Rob Riggle, and Sarah Silverman. “Hyenas” had its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival on March 11, 2011 and was later released on June 3, 2011, in the United States.
Hyenas is really a conventional werewolf movie, except for the fact they’re obviously hyenas, not wolves. Sadly it doesn’t size up to some of the great werewolf flicks of yore that have captivated us over the years. Nowhere near in fact.
It’s a rather stale movie to watch that really isn’t that interesting or exciting, it’s just mundane. Firstly the special effects are woeful. The transformation scenes are done via CGI and they look terrible. American Werewolf in London did this better and it’s approx 30 years old. The gore level of Hyenas is pretty low also, there’s a scene near the beginning which is kinda graphic but nothing we haven’t seen a million times before.
The general acting quality is not what we’d expect from this caliber of cast. Costas Mandylor can do better than this, I Know It. He seems to struggle with a thin script, which in turn suffers from chronology issues, years pass by without obvious explanation. The other actors in the cast are similar also. Probably the best character is Briggs acted out decently by Meshach Taylor, his character is more mysterious in nature and Meshach carries this through well. Sadly it’s not enough to save this flick. Christa Campbell makes an appearance and looks as lush as ever. She plays one of the hyena bitches and is decent enough i guess, it’s worth saying that her nude scenes are probably the best thing about this movie.
Hyenas isn’t scary, it’s not tense, nor suspenseful. It overindulges in inconsequential teen gang shenanigans when it should be concentrating on make us scared or at the very least giving us something to think about.
As it stands I really can’t recommend this one. Maybe it’s worth seeing on TV, though don’t go out of your way to see this one. You’ve been warned.
The film follows a group of friends who reunite for a camping trip in the woods, only to be terrorized by a pack of hyenas. “Hyenas” is a unique film that blends horror and comedy elements together in a way that is both entertaining and suspenseful. The cast is excellent, and the hyenas are truly terrifying. While the film is not perfect, it is a fun and entertaining ride that is sure to please fans of both genres.
Synopsis
In the town of Dakar, Senegal, former prostitute Linguère Ramatou (Aïssa Maïga) now runs a successful lingerie shop. Linguère’s one regret is that she was never able to have children. Her life is upended when her estranged daughter, Ngor (Marieme Diouf), suddenly appears. Ngor is a lesbian and has come to Dakar to find her birth father.
Linguère is thrilled to have her daughter in her life, but Ngor is not interested in getting to know her. She is more interested in finding her father and learning about her Senegalese roots. Linguère tries to help Ngor, but she is also dealing with her own issues, including a failing marriage.
As Ngor searches for her father, she learns about the harsh realities of life in Senegal. She also comes to understand her mother’s story and the sacrifices she has made. Ngor and Linguère slowly build a relationship, and Ngor finally comes to understand her mother’s love for her.
Hyenas is a 2011 Senegalese drama film directed by Djibril Diop Mambéty. The film was selected as the Senegalese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist.
Movie Details
Director: Eric Weston
Writer: Eric Weston
Actors: Eric Weston, Stephanie Leigh Rose, and James C. Morris
Release Year: 2011