"Dolfje Weerwolfje," based on the beloved children's book series, tells the story of a young boy who discovers he transforms into a werewolf. While the premise holds promise for a charming and adventurous family film, the execution leaves much to be desired.

The movie's visual effects, essential for bringing Dolfje's transformation to life, are underwhelming and often appear dated. This diminishes the magical aspect of the story, which is crucial for engaging a younger audience. The script, though faithful to the source material, feels disjointed and lacks the emotional depth needed to connect with viewers on a meaningful level.

Performances by the cast are inconsistent, with some actors delivering convincing portrayals while others fall flat. The pacing of the film is uneven, with certain scenes dragging on while others rush through important plot points, leaving the narrative feeling unbalanced.

Overall, "Dolfje Weerwolfje" struggles to capture the enchanting spirit of its literary origins, resulting in a film that is more frustrating than fantastical.

In "Dolfje Weerwolfje", a foundling gets adopted by a loving family. Growing into a tiny bespectacled boy, Dolfje leads a happy but unremarkable life. On his seventh birthday, he discovers a completely unexpected gift/curse : some nights, he turns into a werewolf. This confronts him with a whole new batch of insecurities. For instance, will his adoptive brother and parents continue to love him, now that he is clearly different from them ? And is he destined to grow into a bone-crunching, skull-crushing monster ?

Some children's movies are aimed at both children and adults ; other children's movies are aimed specifically at children. "Dolfje" falls into the second category, although adults can watch it some pleasure. It is most likely to appeal to young viewers somewhere between the ages of, say, 6 or 7 to 12. Based on the first book of what has now grown into a long and popular series, it deals with themes like identity, difference, bullying and belonging.

The tone and general message are both positive and there are a number of successful jokes. ("I saw a wolf ! It wore a tiny pair of glasses !") Our small protagonist is as cute as a button, both in his human and his werewolf incarnation. He looks more like a cross between a teddy bear and a white poodle fresh out of bath than like a wolf, but that is part of the joke.

You'll notice that the movie contains a riff on a school performance of "Peter and the Wolf", Sergei Prokofiev's musical fairy tale. I don't know about your part of the world, but here in Belgium and in the Netherlands "Peter and the Wolf" has become a staple of children's education. I got my dose of "Peter" at school and it has left me with a lively dislike of the piece.