Horror Enters the MCU, Bringing the Most Triumphant Idea in Years

Xtreme Vogue London Desk: Judith Benjamin

Werewolf by Night Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris, Kirk R. Thatcher, and ensemble.

Director: Michael Giacchino.

( Photo Credit – Still from Werewolf By Night )

What’s Good: At least in the concepts that have the potential to be explored in the future, Marvel is experimenting beyond what is expected. It’s dark, gory (as per Disney standards), and much more intriguing than the last few products.

What’s Bad: Nothing that should stop you from watching.

Loo Break: Maybe you might feel spooky about going in post-watching. Just kidding. It’s a special presentation. You won’t need one.

Watch or Not?: For everyone who is done with phase 4 and lost hope in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is for you to resurrect at least half of it.

Language: English (With Subtitles).

Available On: Disney+ Hotstar.

Runtime: 53 Minutes.

User Rating:

So taking us to the world of the people who live by the Bloodstone, the special presentation is about the day the stone is in search of its new successor. The night unfolds as the selection begins and so do the horrors involving the most fearing elements in the MCU till date.

( Photo Credit – Still from Werewolf By Night )

Werewolf by Night Movie Review: Script Analysis

Let us all agree, the phase 4 of Marvel Cinematic Universe barring a few has failed to create a concrete statement that will make you root for the future. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is beyond the phases, a different animal of sorts and is bound to churn out our emotions, so that isn’t considered in the same league. So at a point where the audience is contemplating about investing their time and love, Kevin Feige comes with a presentation that says “hey we hear you, and here’s something that you might get more of soon, but there is a fresh and new idea, have a look.”

TV Special Werewolf By The Night co-written by Heather Quinn and Peter Cameron and directed by the prolific composer/debutant director Michael Giacchino is fresh and the most violent the MCU can go at this point. The idea is simple. A bunch of monster hunters assemble in the Bloodstone temple to participate in the election challenges to become the new heir to the realm. The challenge is to kill a monster in the spooky realm and convince the stone.

But it is this simple plot that Giacchino with his writers develops into an edge-of-the-seat idea where everyone is double-crossing anyone and a man turns into a wolf at one point. The fear enters the MCU at the most unexpected juncture and Michael makes sure it is like we enjoyed in the age of yore. Think of The Invisible Man or Dracula with the same jump scares, even in black & white and Giacchino’s amazing music. It’s all of it and much more.

The presentation does ace in every department but fails to explore the dynamic between Elsa and Jack. It evidently hints at a probably love angle between them, almost like Hulk and Black Widow. But doesn’t explore it at all. Also, the Werewolf is more human than ever without being of unimaginable height or an insane built. Will they be able to continue scaring people with it?

Werewolf by Night Movie Review: Star Performance

The makers understand there is not much time to widen the plot so they start exploring the characters. The leading man Gael García Bernal plays Jack Russell, a monster hunter with no intention to kill any monster. Then what is his purpose? To save them. He is a meek harmless man with no intention to harm anyone, but let the night rise and he turns into a Werewolf with no control. The transition between the two is intriguing and makes you curious as to know what is ahead.

Laura Donnelly plays Elsa. Think of her as Natasha Romanoff’s classmate with similar skill set and the attitude too. She shows people their place and even cuts their limbs if they misbehave. Yes, there is a light combat where she cuts someone’s arm off. The actor impressively does a lot of things and it will be fun to see where her character goes.

Werewolf by Night Movie Review: Direction, Music

It’s Michael Giacchino, you guys. There is no way you won’t have a storytelling technique that is almost like a music piece that hits the crescendo takes a breaks it and then hits it even higher again. He shapes his movie like his tunes and it is such a refreshing thing to see in the MCU. If this is what he has in store for his debut I am only excited to see what is waiting from his mill in the future.

Werewolf by Night Movie Review: The Last Word

This has to be the saving grace for Marvel Cinematic Universe because it brings a fresh approach and a story. Werewolf By Night enters the MCU at the right juncture where the studio needed something to make the audience stay.