MPAA Rating: TV-14/ Genre: Monster TV Special/Stars: Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris, Kirk R. Thatcher, Eugenie Bondurant, Leonardo Nam, Daniel J. Watts, Al Hamacher, Carey Jones, David Silverman; Voices of:  Rick Wasserman, Richard Dixon/Runtime: 53 minutes

I think it is fairly safe to say that although I love the work put out into the world by Marvel Studios as part of the MCU, there is one teeny tiny little thing that does kind of drive me nuts when I really give myself time to ponder it. That being that although Marvel does dip its toes into distinct ponds from time to time they really don’t give us a full immersion and instead play it safe by also incorporating superheroics into the mix. Perhaps one of the more frustrating examples of this was not only how Captain America: The Winter Soldier functioned as superheroics in a conspiracy thriller from the 70s akin to something like The Parallax View or Three Days of the Condor, but especially how Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was sold to audiences as Marvel’s first genuine foray into the horror genre….only to then pull back to a significant degree and let superheroics run the show once again.  As a result, we are able to see that since the manner in which Marvel does things is so set in stone that it does get a bit run of the mill whenever you see a Marvel movie or show since you know fairly well exactly what it is you are about to sit down and watch. Well, I can now say that has managed to change, for the better, as Marvel at long last has decided to go full tilt on making a product that pushes superheroics as far along to the sideline as it possibly can whilst also fully immersing you, the viewer in a genre that is sure to have quite a few of you smiling with unashamed glee. That genre incidentally being the old school monster movie. Suffice it to say that there may be some issues here and there and I may not have known quite what to expect from this, but I am incredibly impressed by Werewolf by Night. Indeed here is a well-cast and phenomenally well-made visceral yet also darkly comedic tribute to the Universal monster movies from back in the day that is a genuine spooky season treat from beginning to end even as you find yourself really wishing that this is both longer as well as just the start for this distinct path and not merely a one and done from Marvel Studios.

The plot is as follows: The plot is as follows: Taking place at an undetermined point in time, Werewolf by Night opens up at a castle estate as we witness a group of individuals assemble at what, for all intents and purposes, looks to be a memorial service for a man who has recently joined the ranks of the deceased. Of course, as we all know appearances can be quite deceiving, and as the widow for the deceased soon makes clear, this is definitely one of those times. That’s because the deceased in question was the leader of a group of sorts and the people assembled are the rest of the group. Of course, I suppose that you should also know at this time that this group, their deceased leader included, is particularly noteworthy because they are highly skilled monster hunters. We soon learn from the dead man’s corpse (I’m not kidding) that the reason that the group, including an enigmatic guy named Jack as well as the deceased’s estranged daughter Elsa, has been brought together from seemingly out of the shadows where they usually spend their time is because they are to engage in a little competition of sorts for an item known as the Bloodstone. A prize that will see the recipient earn the opportunity to take on the role of group leader. Yet lest you think that this hunt wasn’t already complicated enough, there is one last little detail I guess I should take the time now to mention. That being, in order to acquire the stone, our group must head into a maze on the grounds that has weapons scattered throughout and annihilate a vicious monster that has been put in the maze with the bloodstone on its back. Suffice it to say that it isn’t long before the hunt is underway and this group of hunters will see a fair bit of blood spilt, unlikely partnerships created, and secrets long buried begin to come perilously to the surface….

Now I can’t lie to you dear reader: Werewolf by Night is a howl of fresh air for those of us who have been patiently hoping for Marvel to actually give us something that is more than just a “superheroics in a…..” kind of project. Perhaps the most appropriate example for this particular project would be the fact that even though Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did, in all degrees of fairness, touch on components that you would see more often in a full-blooded horror film, it was first and foremost a superhero slice of cinema. With that in mind though, what makes Werewolf by Night so gosh darn special is that this is very much a product of the horror genre before anything else thus providing those who have been with the MCU from that very first proud proclamation of “I am Iron Man” with that something distinct they have long been waiting for. At the same time though, if there are people out there who haven’t really been onboard with what Marvel has been cooking up all this time, I feel that this might be the project that will inspire them to maybe give it a chance. A feat that Marvel makes possible due in large part to the fact that no obscure factoids from the comics are truly required to fully enjoy what this special unfurls before your very eyes. As a result, what we are given here is not as much a superhero project, but instead makes for a loving tribute to the monster movies of ol’ with particular regard to the ones given to audiences by Universal back in the day. Now it should also be pointed out that, from a visual point of view, Werewolf by Night most assuredly does look like those iconic cinematic monster mashes, but thankfully this is not just a case where the recreation is on the surface alone. Indeed helmer/ composer Michael Giacchino and the head of his cinematography department Zoë White actually manage to film 98% of this in a delightfully black and white style that, complete with a wonderful utilization of shadows and lights, proves to be absolutely fantastic with particular regard to a sequence that the special will make you wait for, but trust me when I say it is definitely worth it. On top of that, there is also a distinct noir-style component to this special especially in how it lovingly accepts the idea that shadows can definitely be utilized to conjure up an atmosphere that is both ominous and terrifying in equal measure. Yet perhaps the best thing that I feel this special has going for it is how it serves as a brilliant example of that time honored filmmaking trick that how what you don’t see can be infinitely more horrifying than anything seen on camera. Yes a large part of the reason this special does this because it is a part of the MCU which has tried to be accessible to audiences of all ages. Even with that in mind though, there is no denying that this special does a masterful job of keeping distinct terrors from our line of sight and instead depend on either utilizing how other characters are responding or obscuring it in shadows so that you have some idea of what could be going on, but you aren’t entirely sure. As a result, this works immensely to the special’s benefit due to those watching it getting scared because their imagination fills in the gaps for them rather than them feeling like they’re being unfairly manipulated. At the same time however, it should also be known that there is also quite a bit that is shown on camera and in that regard this project certainly doesn’t pull any punches whatsoever. Indeed the creatures we see both look fantastic and actually act like creatures instead of odd in terms of appearance good guys. Finally, it should also be noted that the terror-drenched action beats and the visceral violence are some of the finest in the MCU to date. Indeed, this may be in black and white, but there is blood split here like nobody’s business to say nothing of the fact that it does get fairly visceral at certain points in a matter that feels less like a Marvel product and more like something resembling a lesser grade An American Werewolf in London for example. Suffice it to say that it may not be like the vast majority of works that Marvel has given us to date, but that just makes the case to give us more efforts like this all the stronger.

Of course, for all the masterclass work being done behind the camera, I can safely say that the work done in front of the camera is equally just as impressive. Yes, I feel you should know that the majority of the group of critter hunters in this very much are in this so they can operate as expendable individuals that are very much meant to be killed off at some point during this outing it should also be noted that at the very least these people are, in their own unique ways, decent degrees of entertaining. Even with that in mind though, there is no denying that the trio of performers that this spook fest truly belongs to would have to be Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, and Harriet Sansom Harris respectively. Indeed Harris does a truly masterful job at playing the venomous as well as psychotic Verusa to such an extent that you love watching her get what is coming to her by characters as well as circumstances that I shan’t spoil here. Yes, the character’s villainy does tend to get a bit over the top at times, but in all fairness that is perfectly appropriate since in the kind of movie that this special is a throwback to, the performer playing the villain almost always did wind up going over the top at some point or another. Suffice it is a truly delightfully hiss-worthy performance and Harris absolutely nails it. In the role of the enigmatic Elsa, we get a wonderfully spot-on performance here from Laura Donnelly. Indeed not only Donnelly does a wonderful job of providing the character with the necessary degrees of bad to the bone and tough as nails that are vital to who this woman is in the comics, but she also gives her a few subtle tweaks as well. Tweaks incidentally that, without going into spoilers from the special itself, could result in this character both popping up again in other stories as well as being given distinct narrative paths to traverse that might not have been possible had Marvel Studios opted for a direct translation for this character from the page to the screen. Suffice it to say Donnelly gives a truly terrific turn here and I can’t wait to see where this character shows up next. A claim I can also make incidentally about the true highlight in terms of performances in this and that would be Gael Garcia Bernal (Hector from Pixar’s Coco) who as Jack is absolutely amazing. Now I am going to be very selective in what I say about Jack since, unless you’ve read the comics, then the less you know about him going into this special the better. What I will say though is that Bernal manages to do a truly amazing job at playing this guy almost in the same way that Mark Ruffalo played Bruce Banner in the first Avengers movie back in 2012 complete with both a subtly wry sense of humor yet also an immense degree of reservedness towards his interactions with other people. Of course, just like Banner, there is an extremely good reason for said reservedness and in that regard when this special does reveal why in all its glory the effects work is absolutely terrific even as Bernal does a wonderful job at reminding you that what you are seeing is still the same guy you’ve been following throughout this special. Suffice it to say that it is an amazing performance and I certainly hope that this is not the last that we will get to see of this particular character in the MCU…..

All in all it may not be perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I really do think Werewolf by Night is most assuredly a howling good time to be had. Sure there are a few moments here and there that will remind you of the Marvel formula, including some comedy that seems a wee bit out of place with the equally grisly and creepy proceedings, but thankfully they don’t show up often enough to derail this whole thing. Suffice it to say that Werewolf by Night, more than anything, is a genuinely delightful tribute to the iconic monster films of ol’. Sure this special might prove to be on the same level of genuinely terrifying that those iconic slices of cinema most assuredly are to the movie going audiences of today, but the truth is that by being as skilled as it proves to be at conjuring up the type of iconic terror that those films did so well it really doesn’t matter as much as it might otherwise. Yet the style might not be as new as audiences may like and it does incorporate time-honored tropes that I have no doubt in my mind you will be able to see coming from a mile away, but the fact that it is operating with that distinct Marvel flair does help distinguish it phenomenally. At the same time, the cast in this is also absolute aces in every sense of the word with particular kudos going to Gael Garcia Bernal who, in the lead role of Jack, is absolutely terrific with the bond that forms between him and Laura Donnelly being so effective that don’t be surprised if you find yourself really wishing this special was a lot longer than its 53-minute, including credits, runtime. Thus, I think it can be safely said that although it is a safe bet to make that Werewolf by Night might not see that tingle go down your spine or a chill run through your body, but the fact that it is able to keep you riveted courtesy of a patiently creepy vibe helps to ensure that this is a genuinely delightful treat for horror fans everywhere this Halloween season. Make of that dear reader what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Werewolf by Night a solid 4 out of 5.