Villian(s)  Wolf like creature

Actor(s):  Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, Gregory Hines

Brief Description  Wolfen is a 1981 American crime horror film directed by Michael Wadleigh and based on Whitley Strieber’s 1978 novel The Wolfen. The film stars Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Gregory Hines, and Edward James Olmos. It is highly regarded for its unique, thought-provoking twist on traditional creature features, its focus on urban decay and environmentalism, and its pioneering use of in-camera thermographic-style special effects to simulate a predator's vision.

Plot:
The story begins in New York City with the brutal, grisly murders of a wealthy, prominent real-estate mogul, Christopher Van der Veer, his wife, and their bodyguard in Battery Park. Because of Van der Veer's status, authorities initially suspect the killings are the work of high-profile political terrorists. Burned-out NYPD detective Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is brought out of semi-retirement to spearhead the investigation. He is paired with criminal psychologist Rebecca Neff (Diane Venora). As forensic coroner Whittington (Gregory Hines) examines the bodies, they discover that no blades or weapons were used; instead, the victims were violently maimed by what appears to be a powerful feral animal. Physical traces, including rare hairs, point directly to a wolf.

Wilson’s investigation leads him to the bombed-out urban decay of the South Bronx and a group of inner-city Native American ironworkers, led by Eddie Holt (Edward James Olmos). Through them, Wilson uncovers an ancient, indigenous legend regarding "wolf-spirits"—highly intelligent, supernatural predators known as the Wolfen. Unlike standard werewolf movies of the early 1980s (such as The Howling or An American Werewolf in London), Wolfen does not feature shape-shifting lycanthropes. The Wolfen are explained as a separate, superior species (canus lupus sapiens) that have co-existed alongside humans for millennia. They possess heightened perceptual faculties, allowing them to see two looks away and hear clouds passing overhead.

Rather than mindless monsters, they act as protectors of their hunting grounds. They have adapted to live on the fringes of human society, preying on the weak, abandoned, and forgotten members of the urban environment. The Van der Veer murders were a targeted defense of their territory against a massive gentrification and construction project that threatened their habitat. The film uses the backdrop of 1980s New York City to contrast the hyper-wealthy elite of Wall Street with the complete devastation and isolation of the South Bronx. The Wolfen serve as a personification of nature striking back against human encroachment, greed, and the destruction of natural habitats.