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Silver Bullet

Silver Bullet

It started in May. In a small town. And every month after that whenever the moon was full...It came back.

198595 minRMidcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Director
Daniel Attias
Starring
Gary Busey, Everett McGill, Tovah Feldshuh, Megan Follows

The small city of Tarker's Mills is startled by a series of sadistic murders. The population fears the work of a maniac, but sightings of a mysterious, hairy creature soon spread. People lock themselves up at night, but there's one boy who's still outside…

Where to watch

Where can I watch Silver Bullet?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Silver Bullet streaming on AMC+, Paramount+ via Prime Video, Pluto TV (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Silver Bullet?

Silver Bullet earns 7 badges, led by Top 10% in Horror and Guilty pleasure.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Silver Bullet worth watching?

Silver Bullet's Midcredits score is the 57th percentile of all films, from 77K ratings across 6 sources. 53% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

57th percentile

Better received than 57% of films

92nd percentile among Horror60th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)57th
Approval (how many liked it)56th

64 /100

57th percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Horror61st percentile among 1980s

Critics 26 · Audience 66

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

53% liked it

56th percentile of all films

88th percentile among Horror59th percentile among 1980s
53% rated it 7–1047% rated it 1–6

Critics 46% · Audience 56%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

94th percentile

77K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Horror93rd percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$7M
Opening weekend$4M
Domestic gross$12M
Worldwide gross$12M

Returned 1.8× its budget — 79th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree it's a standard werewolf story with an enjoyable tone, but fans embrace its charm and atmosphere while detractors find it derivative and lacking in scares.

Fans praised

  • Terrifying, suspenseful atmosphere with oppressive darkness and fog-shrouded tension
  • Strong central performances, especially Gary Busey as the uncle and Corey Haim as the wheelchair-bound boy
  • Great werewolf kill sequences and a darkly comedic tone that adds fun

Detractors panned

  • Plodding, by-the-numbers werewolf plot with a predictable mystery
  • Subpar practical effects make the werewolf look goofy rather than scary
  • Shallow, two-dimensional characterizations hindering emotional investment

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Gary Busey and Corey Haim shine; supporting cast decent but unremarkable

AtmosphereDivisive70

Oppressive small-town dread and eerie nighttime scenes

CharactersDivisive50

Small-town archetypes with a likable disabled protagonist, but shallow secondary roles

Plot and storyDivisive45

Standard werewolf mystery with predictable reveals and logical gaps

Originality40

Familiar werewolf tropes, but adds a unique coming-of-age angle

Effects and spectacle35

Practical effects are dated and often look goofy

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 10 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Silver Bullet like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its horror straight but balances it with warm family moments and occasional humor from Uncle Red.
The rideThe film sustains a tense and dread-filled atmosphere, with the emotional weight peaking during the middle section when the vigilante attacks and the werewolf's identity is revealed.
StructureLinear narrative following the investigation and confrontation with the werewolf.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe family triumphs and bonds after defeating the monster, leaving a warm, uplifting feeling.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA werewolf terrorizes a small town, and a paraplegic boy must identify and kill it with the help of his sister and uncle.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsSurvival
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe story focuses on the strengthening bond between brother and sister as they unite to uncover and defeat a supernatural threat.
StanceThe film warns about the monstrous evil that can lurk beneath a respected community figure and the dangers of vigilantism.

The world

Late 20th centuryRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Jay Chattaway
SettingA small rural Maine town in 1976, with homes, woods, a church, and a covered bridge.
MusicThe score underscores the suspense and supernatural threat with eerie, dark orchestral cues.

Content guide

Is Silver Bullet okay for kids?

R

Silver Bullet is rated R. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (90/100), sexual content at mild (15/100), language at intense (62/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at intense (76/100). Overall it is heavier than 64% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • PortugalM/12
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 79% of all filmsHeavier than 64% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 85%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 9%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 41%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 73%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, frightening material, and language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Silver Bullet have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Silver Bullet?

Cast

3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Gary Busey
as Uncle Red
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Everett McGill
as Reverend Lowe
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tovah Feldshuh
as Older Jane
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Megan Follows
as Jane Coslaw
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Corey Haim
as Marty Coslaw
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Terry O'Quinn
as Sheriff Joe Haller
Robin Groves
as Nan Coslaw
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Leon Russom
as Bob Coslaw
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Bill Smitrovich
as Andy Fairton
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Joe Wright
as Brady Kincaid
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Silver Bullet?

Movies like Silver Bullet include Jaws (1975), It (2017) and The Blob (1988). Of the 9 closest matches, most are stories about a predator on the loose, and several are films set in New England.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 9 share its story type: creature feature. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Silver Bullet?

2.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: creature feature. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.