Did you know K9 officers can receive full dress funerals?
It’s a minor detail in “Muzzle: City of Wolves,” but one that captures the film’s sense of purpose. Aaron Eckhart returns as a troubled veteran turned dog trainer trying to escape the mayhem he created in 2023’s “Muzzle.”
Good luck with that.
Eckhart once more plays Jake Rosser, a PTSD-scarred veteran who finally seems at peace. He has a steady partner (Tanya van Graan) and a child. And let’s not forget Socks, the K9 cop he bonded with in “Muzzle.”
That tranquility is shattered by a smartly choreographed home invasion. Could the drug cartel tied to the thugs Jake dispatched in the first film be to blame? Or is a new threat afoot?
Either way, Jake’s family is in someone’s crosshairs, forcing him to enter the belly of the beast. Our antihero, along with his new K9 partner Argos, must survive a shocking smear campaign, shady local officials and, as always, his inner demons.
The latter may be his downfall.
Eckhart knows “City of Wolves” demands a physical presence, and he’s more than capable of dishing out the punishment. It’s how he treats Jake’s wounded side that impresses. His tortured soul is never truly at peace, even in quiet moments.
What might have been a cliched take on PTSD becomes something darker yet still human.
Director John Stalberg Jr. takes you through his vision for the sequel to a cult classic.
See it come together when MUZZLE: CITY OF WOLVES opens In Theaters this Friday. Get tickets now: https://t.co/ydR0lKryXH pic.twitter.com/xsqrrpgqKr
— RLJE Films (@RLJEfilms) November 10, 2025
The film’s villain is mostly seen in small doses, but his eventual reveal isn’t as potent as it should be. Far better is a corrupt cop (Karl Thaning) on Jake’s tail. He’s a relentless foe, at times too relentless for logical purposes, but his backstory contrasts shrewdly with Jake’s mission.
Director John Stalberg Jr.’s K9 saga remains averse to black and white cues, and unapologetically so.
“City of Wolves'” attempt to capture Argos’ doggie trauma isn’t an easy sell, and the story lacks the original’s snap. It’s still elegantly shot for a genre film and Eckhart’s turn is purposely raw.
A third-act exchange involving conspiracy theories is emblematic of the film’s retro style. This franchise doesn’t play by the Hollywood rules.
“City of Wolves” ends on an understandably dour note, suggesting a third “Muzzle” could be the saga’s logical conclusion. We’ll sit and stay for a final round of Jake and his furry friends.
HiT or Miss: Aaron Eckhart makes “Muzzle: City of Wolves” a genre movie that deserves to be taken seriously.
The post ‘Muzzle: City of Wolves’ Will Make Audiences Sit and Stay appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/iVbp9qF
0 Comments: