Stop What You’re Doing and Watch Werewolf by Night!
I’m about to share my thoughts on Werewolf by Night, the Marvel mini-movie airing on Disney+.
However, I can save you some time by saying that you should stop whatever it is that you’re doing and watch Werewolf by Night right now. It’s that good.
About Werewolf by Night
Movie and television viewers have hummed music by Michael Giacchino for roughly two decades.
The composer created some of the unforgettable music for Up, The Incredibles, and even Lost. As a result, he’s won Emmys and Grammys and an Academy Award.
We’re talking about one of the musical heavyweights of the modern era.
Giacchino is also tight with Disney and Marvel, having worked on Doctor Strange and the two most recent Spider-Man films.
Since the composer enjoys a strong working relationship with Marvel head Kevin Feige, Giacchino felt comfortable pitching a project.
The difference this time is that Giacchino would direct the project, not just compose the music. And he pitched…Werewolf by Night.
Even Kevin Feige couldn’t believe that Giacchino wanted Marvel to take a chance on him with an obscure character.
To his credit, Giacchino shared an idea and a vision for the project. He remembered the classic monster movies of his youth and pitched something similar.
You can think of Werewolf by Night as a Universal Studios werewolf story with a Marvel twist…because that’s precisely what it is.
Frankly, if not for the fact that this is a Disney+ project, I could easily envision a Werewolf by Night House at Halloween Horror Nights.
THIS is the werewolf movie that Universal has been trying to make since the Lon Chaney days.
Even Jack Nicholson couldn’t pull off in two hours what Giacchino has accomplished in 50 minutes.
Werewolf by Night is a tight, well-structured story about a night of the hunters. Its entire motif fixates on iconic monster movie tropes modernized with a Marvel twist.
What does that look like? Well…
The Story of Werewolf by Night
You’ve probably watched various “gathered hunters” stories over the years, perhaps most famously in Predator. The Usual Suspects also plays in that sandbox.
The idea is that some reason/item lures a group of powerful people together to claim the grand prize.
In Werewolf by Night, a night of the hunters occurs due to the death of an elderly gentleman.
These champions join in pursuit of a mystical amulet, one that imbues the owner with the ability to destroy monsters.
To prove themselves worthy of the amulet, these killers must pursue and vanquish a terrifying beast let loose in a maze.
For those of you who know your Greek mythology, it’s a play on Theseus and the Minotaur. For those of you who aren’t, it’s kinda like The Maze Runner.
The story introduces a previously unknown batch of antiheroes, people who live on the shadowy side of the MCU. In fact, the opening narration explicitly states as much.
Their goal is to retrieve the Bloodstone, the crown jewel of a place called…Bloodstone Manor. So, I guess it’s that important.
Giacchino’s understated sense of humor appears at random moments in the story.
For example, Ulysses Bloodstone has died. In the comics, he’s immortal. Even immortals can die in the MCU now!
The assembled participants include the estranged daughter of Ulysses, Elsa Bloodstone, and several other accomplished hunters who have killed 30+ monsters.
The protagonist in the story, Jack Russell, is the worst murderer of the bunch. His kill count is over 100.
However, his motives aren’t the same as those of the others at the manor this weekend. Jack harbors a secret…or two.
Under a blood moon, Jack Russell transforms into a werewolf. He’s one of the monsters that the others in the room hunt for sport.
The Joys of Werewolf by Night
I grew up in the days when Saturday afternoons on television meant low-budget monster movies.
There’s a reason why Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant is my favorite thing at Walt Disney World. It embodies how I spent part of my youth.
Giacchino is clearly like me in that his love and reverence for classic monster movies are on full display here.
Werewolf by Night explores many of the typical plot devices from these stories, specifically how children often go against the wishes of their mystically obsessed parents.
However, this story includes umpteen surprises as well. The reveal for Jack’s purpose will shock you, as will the resolution in what’s tantamount to an MCU post-credits scene.
Sure, this cheeky bit of storytelling takes place before the credits, but it possesses the same vibe. It’s silly and fitting.
Also, Giacchino takes delight in the knowledge that it’s a Disney production. There’s an Audio-Animatronic involved in the story…and it makes perfect sense!
Wizard of Oz fans are also in for a treat, as most of the story plays out in black and white. But then, color sneaks in at unexpected moments.
Frankly, Giacchino displays both flair and verve. Moreover, he possesses remarkable confidence for a first-time director.
The Characters of Werewolf by Night
As for the actors/characters, everyone knows their purpose in the story. Some have meatier roles, while others are just there to die screaming.
Perhaps the most interesting cast member, at least for Disney fans, is Kirk Thatcher.
An industry veteran, Thatcher spent last October as the director for the Disney+ standalone episode, Muppets Haunted Mansion.
Now, the Californian tosses in a terrible Scottish accent as a 57-monster killer who gets lonely between hunts.
Perhaps the greatest scene stealer in the project is Tony Award-winning actress Harriet Sansom Harris.
She deftly portrays an aggrieved widow/disappointed stepmother, Verussa Bloodstone.
Harris gets most of the best lines in the show, including one that’s sure to gross you out from the mental visual.
Giacchino never forgets in this story that we’re supposed to hate the allegedly heroic monster hunters. So, he makes them cultish and creepy.
As the one who has assembled the guests for the wake, Verussa acts the most outlandishly. Meanwhile, her stepdaughter, Elsa, is the most mysterious.
Meanwhile, Jack Russell is pretty paint-by-numbers, but that’s also how I would describe Werewolf by Night writ large.
Final Thoughts
Giacchino delivers exactly what he has promised: a gothic horror story wherein hardened warriors fight one another to survive the night and win the prize.
Remarkably, that’s only half the story as well. Once someone touches the amulet, we still have plenty of story – and action! – remaining.
Werewolf by Night employs the Watchmen idea of, “I’m not locked in here with you. You’re locked in here with me.” And it really, really works!
I’m gushing right now, and I realize it. However, we haven’t had a good year for movies and storytelling.
So, Werewolf by Night feels that much fresher, even though it’s a 90-year-old story at heart.
You MUST take an hour to treat yourself to at least one viewing. It’s instantly one of the best programs on Disney+.
I should add that this is my wheelhouse. You should dial down your expectations if you’re not into gothic horror. You’ll probably find it fun but basic.
Giacchino’s subtlety may work against him with mainstream audiences. However, as I type this, Werewolf by Night is 93 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. If anything, I think that’s too low.
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Feature Photo: Marvel Studios