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The plot of ‘Family Pack’ will instantly remind movie buffs of Jumanji (1995), a movie I absolutely loved as a kid. Both films are about people who find themselves trapped in a game, and the only way out is to finish it.
Created by François Uzan, Céleste Balin, and Hervé Marly, the 2024 French fantasy film Family Pack (original title: Loups-Garous) follows a family of five who time-travel to medieval France while playing a special board game. Each family member gains special powers, and the only way to return to their own timeline is by identifying and killing the werewolves terrorizing their ancestral village.
Despite its fun story and crisp runtime (about 90 minutes), the writers of ‘Family Pack’ don’t maximize the plot’s comedic potential. Even though there are few good jokes here and there, the pace begins to drag a bit. Besides, for a medieval-themed fantasy film, the sets are too modest, making the movie seem more play like. The VFX for the werewolves are passable, but if the makers really wanted to offer a visually stunning fantasy film, they should’ve taken notes from ‘Dungeons and Dragon‘. Although, it’s evident that they did not have that kind of budget.
The time-traveling family is led by the aging Gilbert (Jean Reno), who suffers from dementia. His son Jérôme (Franck Dubosc), a music teacher, comes to spend some time with him, along with his lawyer wife Marie (Suzanne Clément) and their three kids: Clara (Lisa Do Couto), Théo (Raphaël Romand), and Louise (Alizée Caugnies). Despite the formulaic, generic, and underwhelming script, none of the cast manages to stand out. The family uses their powers to track down the werewolves, often getting into trouble—usually due to hasty actions. The ending includes a genuinely hilarious moment, but otherwise, this is a rather tepid film. Still, it’s not a bad choice for a one-time watch for those in the mood for a family-based fantasy movie.
You can stream Family Pack (Loups-Garous) on Netflix.
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