Review: 'Werewolf by Night' with Gael Garcia Bernal is a Throwback Thrill
- Details
- Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
- Published: Thursday, 06 October 2022 14:12
- Written by Lupe R Haas
Marvel pays homage to classic monster movies with WEREWOLF BY NIGHT starring Gael Garcia Bernal, and is unlike anything Marvel has done. The black-and-white cinematography is truly macabre with true blacks that harken back to the classics.
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT brings together a cabal of monster hunters on a dark and somber night at the Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. The memorial for the fallen monster hunter turns into a deadly hunt for a powerful relic and dangerous monster.
Inspired by the horror films of the 1930s and 1940s, director Michael Giacchino (Star Trek: Short Treks) recreates a chilling tale of suspense and horror. While the aesthetics are a throwback, writers by Heather Quinn & Peter Cameron bring a modern sensibility to the story with a kick-ass feminine lead played by Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone, and Harriet Sansom Harris’ Verusa character is fierce and hauntingly commanding in her performance.
The ladies steal the show but Gael Garcia Bernal steals your heart as Jack Russell, a gentle soul who avoids confrontation… that is until a full moon happens. Bernal brings a likability to the character which is a striking contrast to the violent ways of the other hunters including Elsa (Donnelly) but she does so in self-defense.
The one main complaint viewers will have is not seeing Bernal’s transformation into the werewolf until the latter part of the movie. However, when it does, it is a marvelous and horrifying sequence of artistry using shadows and a close-up of characters' faces that take you back to the classics.
The cinematography evokes a sense of dread, especially during the violent and graphic sequences. The lack of a color palette doesn’t take away from the blood-spilling, instead, you get an even darker, gooey mess like ink splattering on paper.
The 50-minute running time is a perfect way to introduce this new MCU experiment, and hopefully, there are more of these Marvel “special presentations."
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT premieres on Disney+ on October 7.