Werewolf by Night movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Werewolf by Night

This Halloween horror is now available exclusively on Disney+.

RATING: TV-14

LENGTH: 52 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: A-

IN A NUTSHELL:

This is Marvel’s first Halloween special! It’s an MCU/Disney+ project that is scheduled to lead into more monster movies as the first installment. Surely, this is just a small taste to whet your appetite.

The unique superhero story follows a lycanthrope superhero who fights evil using the abilities given to him by a curse brought on by his bloodline.

This is the directorial debut of Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino. He loves the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having written the scores for Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Thor: Love and Thunder! The writing team includes Heather Quinn, Peter Cameron, and Gerry Conway.

THINGS I LIKED:

The opening scene is a quick explanation of the backstory, which is helpful, yet cumbersome.
The use of a black-and-white filter absolutely pays homage to the old horror classics of the 1940s.
The fantastic cast includes Gael Garcia Bernal, Laura Donnelly, and Harriet Sansom Harris.
Notice what happens at the 16-minute and 31-minute mark. You’ll see what’s called the “cigarette burn” effect in the upper right-hand corner. A long time ago, that was the indicator to the projectionist that it was time to change the reel! A nice touch in this movie to make it look old-timey!
There are some Easter eggs for true MCU fans. For example, you’ll see a slow-motion chase that is a nod to the scene in The Avengers (2012) when Hulk chases Black Widow.
Ted is totally unique, scary, and awesome.
The cinematic score is perfect. Perfect!
The surprise ending is random and hilarious.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Some viewers might be surprised that Disney is has chosen a genre and look that is quite unlike Disney.
While the TV-14 rating suggests mild violence, there is actually quite a lot of blood and gore. We just don’t notice it as much because the film is in black and white.
The ending seems odd.