La maldición del hombre lobo

I had no idea Marvel was capable of something like this. I had never heard of this character and I didn't know what it was before its release. The writers, director, etc.. I hope Disney has locked them down. Everything about this is magical. Even the presentation, which I assume is an homage to century old creature features. Im just blown away at the creativity, storytelling, the casting, all of it. This thing was short and they still did the male and female lead justice with a proper backstory and very satisfying finish. I am hoping Marvel can take this masterpiece and build from it. Obviously I wouldn't expect future productions of these characters to be this perfect, but I hope they put forth the same effort. Its all anyone can ask.

Werewolf by Night is an unexpectedly atypical MCU release. It doesn't feel like the usual MCU genre. It's a lot darker and in the direction of horror. And I'm really happy with how they didn't seem to hold back on the violence. There is actually blood! (looking at you, Morbius, a vampire movie with zero blood)

I love the style, somewhat of a throwback to old monster flicks. Michael Giacchino does a good job with both directing and the musical score. There are some good horror moments and a few great shots.

Overall I really enjoyed this special. I know there is the Marvel fatigue crowd probably groaning over more content, but I don't get fatigue from awesomeness. I would love to see more specials like this.

(2 viewings, 10/15/2022, 7/15/2024)

What a fun and well made movie, lots of classic elements, not really scary, but fun and a rewarding time with a great ending.

For Marvel this is a much needed win after bad storylines like that of She-Hulk.

Great cast and acting, Laura Donnelly and Gael García Bernal are perfect for their roles, music underscored everything perfectly and the fact that it was in black and white didn't take away from it, but rather added to the charm.

The storyline was great and creative, something that I find is missing a lot lately in newer movies and TV shows.

This one is a very recommended watch, it'll leave you wishing it was a bit longer, but also refreshingly satisfied.

Werewolf by Night was an unexpected addition to the Marvel canon, and a welcome one at that. It was directed by Michael Giacchino, an Oscar winning composer making his directorial debut. He also composes the special's score, and it's some of his best work. Giacchino's love of classic monster movies is evident throughout the film, especially at the beginning. It has 1930s/40s title cards at the beginning, and the music is very reminiscent of the classic horror films. Perhaps the best homage is the use of practical effects rather than CGI, which the monsters movies back then exemplified. There are some downsides. The classic effect does begin to wear off after a while, and then it will feel like you're watching a Marvel movie with a black and white filter. The writing was okay. There's still cringeworthy Marvel humor. But given how cookie cutter Marvel movies have become, something as unique as Werewolf by Night is a more than welcome addition to the MCU canon.

Werewolf by Night retains the MCU's trademark humour for better and for worse and would've definitely benefited from a longer run time but it remains a great exercise in genre with a clear love for classic monster movies and has a blast going to more violent ends than usual.

Gael García Bernal brings the heart and clumsy charm to the proceedings whilst Laura Donnelly is the more stoic one with some solid dry wit to balance it out and Harriet Sansom Harris absolutely chews the scenery to great effect.

The use of black and white combined with the added film grain and cigarette burns is really impressive and enhances the experience. It also really helps it standout in an increasingly crowded and overly familiar universe.

Michael Giacchino's direction is amazing, especially for a debut. It's so artistically composed in its striking imagery and skillfully controlled symphonies of violence. Giacchino's score is also excellent, instantly evocative and grandiose in all the right ways.