In establishing its mythology, including the boy Johan struggles with and tales of a little person in the closet, Kat Ellinger of the British Film Institute argues "Hour of the Wolf" draws on folklore. Ellinger further compares the horrific visions to the work of Swiss painter Henry Fuseli. Author John Orr characterizes the film as a "modernist fable". The film's second half takes place only at night, with the exception being the overexposed flashback to Johan and the boy. Hubner argues the overexposure and quick editing of more than 30 shots contribute to the "dreamlike and nightmarish" feel of the scene.