By Rena Ketelsen – Werewolf By Night (2022) breaks a streak of recent disappointing Marvel Studios productions with a well-executed attempt at using a different genre and interesting, new characters.
Marvel Studios’ Special Feature is a 54-minute-long special feature that was released on October 7, 2022, on Disney Plus. Unlike other recent Marvel Studios productions, this one is more mature and has the appearance of a low-budget production.
The special feature tells the story of a group of monster hunters whose leader just died so a new one needs to be appointed. In order to find a decision, they enter a deadly competition where they need to kill a monster.
Due to the short time frame, the feature doesn’t start with a long explanation of the main characters but rather throws the viewer right into the story with nothing more than a brief explanation of the general circumstances. Because of that, the viewer gets to know the characters as the story unfolds without ever knowing everything about them, giving them a sense of mystery, which makes them much more intriguing.
That also works well with the genre which is a mixture of old horror, action, and adventure. Most of the scenes are entirely or almost entirely black and white which gives the feature a completely different look then the much more cinematic, expensive-looking shows and movies, that are usually expected from a Marvel Studios production. This feature is also lacking the special effects and big explosions that can be found in other shows and movies.
Despite all of that, however, this attempt at trying out a new genre, unlike some previous attempts, seems to a successful one. It is perfect for the story that is told and characters that are shown. The lack of colors makes everything look darker and bleak.
This side of Marvel has not been included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) very much yet and has only been introduced properly with this feature.
Although Werewolf By Night may not be Marvel Studios’ best production ever, it is certainly entertaining and definitely worth watching. It stands out from Marvel Studios’ recent productions and may be part of the end of that series of mediocre and disappointing TV shows and movies.
However, that also depends on the success of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) which is set to release on November 11, and which is greatly anticipated by fans.
In the style of an old, scary movie, Werewolf By Night is a well-scripted and -executed introduction of monsters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give it an 8.
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