In ceremonial fashion, a group of monster hunters gather together, each hoping to be the next person lucky enough to wield the powerful bloodstone. While many simply covet the power that the stone will give them, two individuals, Jack Russell (Gael García Bernal) and Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly), have different reasons for showing up. As the series of lethal hunters face off against the rest, true power lies ahead, power that no one could have anticipated. Werewolf by Night is the dark telling of a series of tragic stories, wrapped into one tightly-wound package.
Werewolf by Night is the first Special Presentation by Marvel, and it looks to be the most unique Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) entity that the world has seen to date. Everything that it had hoped to be comes to fruition early in the film–and it never relents, remaining true to its vision and its purpose. Black and white, campy acting, and some silly scenarios aim to pay homage to the great monster films of the past. Films like Frankenstein, Dracula, and Creature from the Black Lagoon were massively successful years ago, and many might think that creating a film too similar to those films would have failed in the twenty-first century. The people who believed this are wrong–and Marvel creates something bold, risky, and utterly brilliant in Werewolf by Night, never failing to live up to the successes of its monster predecessors.
This is one (maybe even the most) risky thing that the MCU has done since its birth in 2008. Rather than doing exactly what they knew would find success, they veer left of center, and they find ways to introduce new styles of filmmaking into the massive cinematic universe. Werewolf by Night is nothing like we’ve seen before in the superhero universe, but it’s everything that the franchise needed to propel it forward. It’s no secret that since Avengers: Endgame the MCU has struggled to create the same breathtaking content that had come before, and it needed a spark. While shows like Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and films such as Thor: Love and Thunder and Black Widow weren’t bad by any means, they weren’t as appealing as what viewers had seen before. Werewolf by Night, with the exception of Spider-Man: No Way Home and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is the best installment in the MCU since Avengers: Endgame–and that’s a massive step in the right direction for the multi-billion-dollar franchise.
One of the most exciting things about Werewolf by Night is the fact that it’s almost entirely in black and white. I certainly understand that this isn’t vastly appealing to everyone, however, the dive into film noir, using each and every one of its pieces, is exciting for cinephiles. Werewolf by Night doesn’t simply explore the macabre, it dives all the way in–and every step of the way is executed effectively. The use of color (particularly the color red) to juxtapose black and white throughout creates tones of darkness, pain, suffering, and more–and the intention of the filmmakers here is easily understood, easily accessible, and easily accepted. Ironically, through all of the terror that exists throughout Werewolf by Night, the brilliant use of color to juxtapose the darkness is exciting, even warming. This aspect of the film is perfectly constructed, never failing to entertain–adding new layers of entertainment and meaning to an already incredible film.
I was never a comic book guy–and, honestly, I wasn’t ever interested in superhero films until the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy. However, I understand the importance of seeing what people love from the pages of the comic books appropriately translated to the screen (regardless of whether that screen exists in theaters or in someone’s home). Man-Thing (Carey Jones) is a lesser-known character in Marvel lore–but his presence in the MCU was highly anticipated nonetheless. This was a character that fans of the comics wanted to see appear on screen in a fashion that almost mirrored what had appeared in the books, and, at the very least, his aesthetic is spot on (I only word it this way because I don’t know enough about the character to judge his on-screen portrayal). The special effects department, the series of producers, and Director Michael Giacchino know what fans want in this regard, and deliver in a massive way. Man-Thing steals the show (which is a tall task considering how wonderful everyone else was throughout), and that comes, in big part, as a result of this crew bringing him to life in a way that is so similar to his comic book days. Werewolf by Night shines in this regard, and they should be immensely proud of their ability to bring Man-Thing and other characters to life with this much vigor.
Much like the rest of the film, the campiness of Werewolf by Night will not appeal to everyone. That sort of cheeniness doesn’t always sit well with viewers–but this film exists in a pocket of its own in the MCU, and viewers must understand that, while this is a Marvel production, nearly every aspect of the film is derived from the monster movie greats. Its ability to still deliver relevant dialogue, intrigue viewers emotionally, and develop truly entertaining characters, all while maintaining the cringey, but equally beautiful campiness is incredible. Werewolf by Night, again, exists in its own lane, nearly separate from the rest of the MCU–but it’s so beautifully constructed, so in tune with the emotions of its characters and viewers, that it works incredibly well in the grand scheme of the ever-changing Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Stylistically, Werewolf by Night is its own compared to the rest of today’s mainstream cinema, tonally it compares to some of the better films in Hollywood history, and its unique way of moving the MCU forward is inviting to viewers. I expected Werewolf by Night to pay homage to those monster-led greats, and I knew that this film would take the MCU in a different direction–but I’m not sure that I anticipated that the film would be quite this good. 2022 is finishing out strong, with a number of impressive films being released in just the past few months–and Werewolf by Night finds itself among the best of them. Not only is it perfect for the MCU, it’s perfect for film in general.
Directed by Michael Giacchino.
Written by Heather Quinn, Peter Cameron, Gerry Conway, Michael G. Ploog, Roy Thomas, & Jean Thomas.
Starring Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris, Kirk R. Thatcher, Eugenie Bondurant, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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