Comedy | Horror
Directors: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi
Writers: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi
Stars: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brugh
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS chronicles the adventures of four vampire roommates trying to get by in a modern world that’s not always hospitable to the undead. Clement and Waititi, creators of the HBO hit series “Flight of the Conchords,” co-wrote, co-directed, and co-star in this hilarious send-up in which an endearingly unhip quartet of friends reveal to us or, rather, to the documentary crew that’s filming them, the details of their daily-make that nightly-routine. Ranging in age from 183 to 8,000, and in appearance from adorably youthful to Nosferatu-crusty, they squabble over household chores, struggle to keep up with the latest trends in technology and fashion, antagonize the local werewolves, cruise clubs for lovely ladies, and deal with the rigors of living on a very, very strict diet. The film also stars Rhys Darby, Jonathan Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stu Rutherford, and Jackie Van Beek, and was produced by Waititi, Chelsea Winstanley and Emanuel Michael. (C) Paladin
What We Do In the Shadows is bloody hysterical and sharp as a vampire’s stake. It is too clever for its own good…and yet it is great! Audiences will be laughing non-stop as this “mockumentary” satirizes the old school vampire genre with a modern spin. While being consumed with so many witty moments multiple viewings should be required (especially if you didn’t catch all the jokes nor get this movie). There’s even a rival werewolf gang that tries to cause trouble! It really holds up after watching it a few times. What We Do In the Shadows is on par with the best of Christopher Guest and the amusing horror comedy classic Shaun of the Dead. This is very clever in its silliness.
What We Do In the Shadows is on par with the best of Christopher Guest and the amusing horror comedy classic Shaun of the Dead. This is very clever in its silliness.
A few things I loved about What We Do in The Shadows include mostly the wily screenplay, the comedic performances/slapstick moments, and even the chemistry between the actors. Satirizing the horror genre is challenging. The Scary Movie series reminds us how horror comedy isn’t always successful, yet those movies made a lot of money. Those kind of movies are weary and short on genuine laughs. I easily could’ve watched a longer version of this movie. I wanted even more scenes of vampires trying to live life and struggle with issues humans take for granted. A winning collaboration between Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement (HBO’s Flight of the Conchords), What We Do In The Shadows is a movie I hope has a large audience. If you like to laugh, this one is for you. Make sure this gem, soon-to-be cult classic the next movie you watch.
Besides Neighbors, What We Do In The Shadows was the funniest movie I saw at last year’s SXSW film festival and yet it took almost a year for it to be released in theaters. Studios should’ve been going after this movie in upwards of millions of dollars. This pokes light fun at the mythology in an always amusing and consistently hysterical crowdpleaser. (The audience was constantly howling with delight during my SXSW screening.) I know others in the movie industry who watched this at other festivals including Sundance, Toronto, AFI, and the Stanley Film Festival (which celebrates horror films in the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado) who all agreed. What We Do In The Shadows will have a following from people who love the horror and comedy genres! Without the least bit of hesitation, this is truly the first great movie of 2015!
I rate What We Do In The Shadows a 9 out of 10.
