“Werewolf by Night“, directed by Michael Giacchino, is a strange television special. It is a charming small film, but it can also not escape the weakening stranglehold of being a Disney film. “Werewolf by Night” follows a group of monster hunters as they meet to decide who will receive the “Bloodstone”, which grants strength to the user and weakens monsters. The hunters must fight both a monster as well as each other to determine who is deserving of the Bloodstone. But as the story develops, the audience must ask themselves; who is the real monster of this story?

“Werewolf by Night” succeeds on many fronts. Its propensity for nostalgia, practical effects and cinematography all work to make an engaging special for both Universal monster and Marvel fans. The film is a grainy black and white that harkens to the monster movies of the 1930s and 40s. Lining the walls of the Bloodstone family’s great hall are the heads of famous monsters. The production team placed hallmarks of the genre throughout a phonograph playing old music, a treacherous mausoleum, and even the usage of harsh shadows prevalent in some of the first horror movies. Pandering to nostalgia can often weaken a film, but Giacchino knows his audience and how to embrace older horror without smothering the viewer in it.

The practical effects of the film are outstanding. Props like the previously mentioned monster heads are well-detailed and designed. The fire stunt involving a tuba is excellent and adds a foreboding element to the scene. And although I do not wish to spoil the film, the titular werewolf, who seems to be both a combination of practical effects and CGI, harkens back to werewolves’ past whilst also being its concept. In a company so dependent on CGI artists, I appreciated the move to more practical effects.

But while the practical effects were consistently amazing, the cinematography of the film could be both inspired and lackluster. There were moments in the film when the cinematography was amazing. One moment in the film frames the scene as a POV shot. The camera peeks from within a hiding place, framing another character in between. It’s an ingenious way of making the audience feel like they have become monsters. Yet, the cinematography can also be boring. There are long scenes where the camera simply shifts back and forth between two characters speaking, only deviating for brief pauses. Did the director feel compelled to make his movie more like Joss Whedon’s derivative “Avengers” films? The cinematography does increase the quality of the film, but it can also drive it into the ranks of lesser Marvel movies.

The cinematography isn’t the only area where the special lacks. The CGI and dialogue hamper an otherwise charming film. The CGI is either tolerable or unbearably difficult to look at. The CGI monsters are decent looking sometimes and ugly at other moments. The CGI blood spatters on the camera cheapen the overall quality of the production. But the worst part of the CGI is undoubtedly the “powers” of the Bloodstone. When the Bloodstone attacks or reveals a monster, it shoots out lightning and other forms of energy that the production team must have thought looked cool. These “powers” are laughably bad. For something that was built up to be worth killing for, its effects inspire nothing but giggling. 

The dialogue also leaves something to be desired and lessens the quality of the film. Nothing can weaken a film more than poorly written and contrived dialogue. The movie’s humor largely depends on the “quip” joke format Marvel movies have become known for but that grows old fast. Dialogue in the film mainly serves the purpose of moving the story along and often does not sound natural when spoken. Exposition is also dumped on the viewer through dialogue. For example, instead of the film showing the viewer the expertise of the hunters, the hostess points to each member of the party and tells the group how many people they’ve killed. This is sophomoric storytelling. 

“Werewolf by Night” is different than the typical Marvel production, but that does not make it a great film. It is a decent film that feels better because of how “different” it is. Yes, the tone and effects are great, but tone cannot make a movie. The parts that mattered the most, like the camerawork, the writing and the artistry, were lacking. In that way, “Werewolf by Night” feels incomplete: charming, but bleeding.

Ranking (1-10): 6

My Life is Worse Having Seen This

At Least They Turned on the Camera

Not as Bad as Morbius

Almost Bearable

Hey, It’s a Movie

Not Bad, Not Bad

I Actually Liked That

At Least an 80% on Rotten Tomatoes

Yummy Oscar Bait

Is that Citizen Kane Over There?

Article by Zoey Mueller