WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS - THE HALLOWEEN HORRORS COLLECTION

By Guest Reviewer The Creepy Concierge

So much has been said about the vampire mock doc WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (2014) that pretty much any ink I spill in on the page will probably go largely unnoticed. But I’ll have a stab anyway. 

Directed by, and starring, Jemaine Clement (Tig ‘n’ Seek) and Taika Waititi (Thor: Blood and Thunder) WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS stakes it claim to be the ultimate ‘Vampires - How we live today’ fly on the wall documentary. And for most of its runtime it succeeds. Considered to be a modern horror slash comedy classic by some it’s at the very least a wildly entertaining and affectionate poke in the ribs at the pointy teeth and stakes genre. Refreshingly everyone involved clearly knows and respects all of the tropes they’re having this most respectful and gentle dig at and are enjoying themselves immensely doing it.

It’s charming, witty and poignant in parts. Chock full of characters we all know, including ourselves, by type if not by proximity and yet somehow it avoids being cruel, mocking or judgemental about any of them. Quite the trick in an age of finger pointing and derogatory so-called comedy.  Is it always riotously funny? No. Is it meant to be? Good question, probably not. Most of the humour hits its target like a stake through the heart but the occasional moment does fall flat. Not that it really matters; the whole is infinitely more effective than the sum of its parts.  Performances are great all round. There is no lack of talent here. Charm and wit oozes off most of the players and everyone really feels truly three dimensional and alive. Ironic considering it’s a comedy about the undead. Technically the film often straddles the line between high-end TV doc and polished indie art-house flick. The verité cinematography holds up well and doesn’t suffer too much from ‘camera on a bungee jump’ syndrome and the production design has a lovely and lovable palpable grittiness. Everything works together to pull off the neat trick, for this viewer at least, of making you want to live in their universe.

Recommended? Oh yes. Memorable? Certainly. It’s well worth the price of admission if you haven’t seen it and you’re in the mood for an unusual entertainment. If you’ve already had the pleasure it’s definitely worth a second bite when you fancy a little comfort viewing.  So is WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS really the ‘Spinal Tap’ of the vampire genre? That’s maybe pushing it. But it’s pretty damn close.

Watch for free on W4FREE  What We Do In the Shadows