While not perfect, will always consider the original 'The Howling' film the best of 'The Howling' franchise, which otherwise is on the most part not a particularly good one. The original is the only one classed by me as good, and it still has a lot of wit and atmosphere with amazing effects. Things that the sequels lack generally, on top of having weak writing and acting and either going over-the-top on the camp value or taking things too seriously.
Am not going to say that the fifth film, and the fourth sequel, 'Howling V: The Rebirth' is a great film, because it isn't. Don't even class it as a particularly good one. By 'The Howling' sequels standards though, 'Howling V: The Rebirth' was surprisingly watchable, and for me it's the best since the original easily, most likely the best of the sequels and the only one of the sequels (certainly up to this point of the franchise) to be above mediocre at best. This is saying quite a fair bit, seeing as the previous sequels, as already indicated above, were way off the quality of the first film, almost like it didn't happen and like they belonged in another series. This also doesn't live up to the same quality, but there are improvements here and fewer issues compared to the previous sequels (not as big quality-wise too).
Starting with the good things, while not anything to rave about it is the best-looking of the sequels, although the effects are limited and some of them downright awful, something that was not unexpected. Really loved the Gothic atmosphere and setting, reasonably well-designed, atmospheric, made the most of and was suitably eerie. The music score was also a big improvement here, there were some genuinely haunting moments that didn't compromise the mood or discord with it, it appealed to the ears, wasn't used too obviously and it at least fitted.
There are some well-timed shocks and unsettling moments, and of the sequels in my mind 'Howling V: The Rebirth' is the best paced. It didn't leave me as bored and wasn't as aimless and padded as the other sequels, the story also not as thin. Unlike before and since, there is not an overload of camp like there was in the second and third films, yet the film didn't take itself too seriously like the fourth did.
On the other hand, apart from a decent Phil Davis the acting is very subpar. Elizabeth She's expressionless-ness badly sticks out. The characters have no development and not enough personality (less of them may have helped), though at least the way they behave doesn't annoy as much as feared. The film does take too long to get going perhaps, and a lot of it lacks any kind of surprise. Did find the outcome quite predictable and thought it also could have been explained much better, it got lost on me a bit.
'Howling V: The Rebirth' is rather short-changed when it comes to the werewolf action, which is criminally underused and seen too briefly and without much atmosphere of any kind when it does appear. The more humorous elements came over as out of place and incorporated awkwardly, in terms of overall quality too in this regard it does lack the wit of that of the first film. Tension, creepiness and suspense is nowhere near enough and only comes in spurts, better than the previous sequels admittedly but still underwhelming.
In conclusion, heavily flawed and anaemic, but actually better than expected and surprisingly watchable considering the general standard of the franchise after the first film. 5/10
Am not going to say that the fifth film, and the fourth sequel, 'Howling V: The Rebirth' is a great film, because it isn't. Don't even class it as a particularly good one. By 'The Howling' sequels standards though, 'Howling V: The Rebirth' was surprisingly watchable, and for me it's the best since the original easily, most likely the best of the sequels and the only one of the sequels (certainly up to this point of the franchise) to be above mediocre at best. This is saying quite a fair bit, seeing as the previous sequels, as already indicated above, were way off the quality of the first film, almost like it didn't happen and like they belonged in another series. This also doesn't live up to the same quality, but there are improvements here and fewer issues compared to the previous sequels (not as big quality-wise too).
Starting with the good things, while not anything to rave about it is the best-looking of the sequels, although the effects are limited and some of them downright awful, something that was not unexpected. Really loved the Gothic atmosphere and setting, reasonably well-designed, atmospheric, made the most of and was suitably eerie. The music score was also a big improvement here, there were some genuinely haunting moments that didn't compromise the mood or discord with it, it appealed to the ears, wasn't used too obviously and it at least fitted.
There are some well-timed shocks and unsettling moments, and of the sequels in my mind 'Howling V: The Rebirth' is the best paced. It didn't leave me as bored and wasn't as aimless and padded as the other sequels, the story also not as thin. Unlike before and since, there is not an overload of camp like there was in the second and third films, yet the film didn't take itself too seriously like the fourth did.
On the other hand, apart from a decent Phil Davis the acting is very subpar. Elizabeth She's expressionless-ness badly sticks out. The characters have no development and not enough personality (less of them may have helped), though at least the way they behave doesn't annoy as much as feared. The film does take too long to get going perhaps, and a lot of it lacks any kind of surprise. Did find the outcome quite predictable and thought it also could have been explained much better, it got lost on me a bit.
'Howling V: The Rebirth' is rather short-changed when it comes to the werewolf action, which is criminally underused and seen too briefly and without much atmosphere of any kind when it does appear. The more humorous elements came over as out of place and incorporated awkwardly, in terms of overall quality too in this regard it does lack the wit of that of the first film. Tension, creepiness and suspense is nowhere near enough and only comes in spurts, better than the previous sequels admittedly but still underwhelming.
In conclusion, heavily flawed and anaemic, but actually better than expected and surprisingly watchable considering the general standard of the franchise after the first film. 5/10