Monster movies often function as a symptom of our own fears, shredding the facade and exposing who we really are. The film uses every trick in the book to create an elegant, atmospheric, and witty creature feature.
The classic run of monster movies from the '30s, '40s, and '50s include the Wolf Man, Dracula, and The Mummy. The whole thing is being shot on black and white film, but for the coveted red Bloodstone, and director and composer Michael Giacchino sets it up for fans of old school.
After the death of their leader, a group of monster hunters are summoned to the Bloodstone Temple, an art Deco temple. At his funeral, the gathered hunters participate in a battle Royale monster hunt to see who will wield the Bloodstone relic the next time. The players are formidable, the creature is initially fearsome, and one of them has a monster secret.
The majority of the action takes place in a labyrinthine arena with a crackling gramophone, where Giacchino builds dread with every gorgeous frame, every suspicious stare, and his classic horror score, peaking in impressive, brutal fight scenes. There's a person playing a flaming sousaphone in the score of the director-composer's film.
The air of self-contained, '30s Art Deco horror is captured by director of photography Zo White and production designer Maya Shimoguchi. The fight scene that throws blood all over the lens is what the doctor ordered.
Jack's got a smol secret. Credit: Marvel
Playing monster-hunter-with-a- secret Jack Russell, the perfect tone was struck by the actor. The first appearance of Russell in a comic book was in 1972 in the Marvel Spotlight #2. Bernal brings subtle intensity, understated silliness and bemusement, and sweet, earnest longing to control his own inner monster, making him a spectacularly fun addition to theMarvel Cinematic Universe. He takes great pains to choose peace and prevent chaos as much as possible because he knows he could cause harm. In the shadow of Jack's transformation scene, the sounds of tearing, tearing, and roaring can be heard as the camera pans towards the terrified face of Elsa.
Laura Donnelly kicks ass as Elsa Bloodstone. Credit: Marvel
"Not exactly a hunter and the greatest disappointment of his life", the daughter of Ulysses is here to claim her inheritance, played by The Nevers/ Outlander star Laura Donnelly. Most of the best jokes in the script can be found in the telling other monster hunters to look for their hunter's medallions up their own butt. Jack's "whole look" and the words "this way up" are two of the funniest things in the script. Verussa, Ulysses' widow and mastermind of the hunt, leaves a huge mark in a short amount of time.
Bringing the audience from the horror movie past into the present through an overt Wizard of Oz reference playing with colour film and Judy Garland's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" leaves the characters with a Han-and-Chewie level banter scene and no indication of what's going on The film takes place over just a few hours of Jack Russell's existence, so we don't know what this means for the universe.
"I thought it would be interesting if we did something that was one night in this character's life," said Giacchino in a press statement.
What'll the winning hunter do with the Bloodstone? Credit: Marvel
In the crypt, Jack points out that he's a werewolf due to a family curse, which leaves it open for a sequel. He says that every family has something in common. The people follow us. It was for good and bad. They stay and become part of the environment. Sometimes we think that we can change everything and not be like them.
One of the best ways to spend an academically spooky hour is by watching Werewolf By Night.
The movie is now on Disney+.
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