“The Werewolf’s Curse” is a striking style exercise with little to tell

Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is coming to an end with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”, but first we have one last stop on this path due to the madness that the Disney franchise has decided to adopt since this phase began with “Scarlet. Witch “. ‘and Vision’. A stage that has been very eclectic despite those who insist that Marvel series and films are all the same. This mix reaches a new dimension with ‘Marvel Studios Presents: The Curse of the Werewolf’, the first “special” of the sagathe first ever inclusion in classic horror (with permission from Sam Raimi’s flashbacks in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”).

Composer Michael Giacchino makes his directorial debut in this 50-minute short film inspired by the comics “Werewolf by Night” and “Bloodstone”. Gael García Bernal leads the cast as Jack Russell, an expert assassin who meets other members of his guild on the estate of the recently deceased brotherhood leader Ulysses Bloodstone.. There he has an interesting proposal for them: they have the night to hunt down a monster that they will release on the ground of the house, and whoever receives it will inherit the position of leader and the bloodstone (bloodstone), capable of weakening and controlling some creatures. What nobody knows is that Jack is such a good killer because maybe he is more of a monster than everyone else.

Giacchino brings an absolute homage to classic horror films in practically all aspects, both narrative and, of course, formal. During the special, he clearly makes it clear that he is an unconditional fan of Universal’s monster movies., managing to create that dark atmosphere that takes us back to an era in which cinema was capable of abstracting with very little. But it is very evident that she has been able to count on Marvel’s almost unlimited budget to think big.

The Bloodstone house is full of detailsfrom the imposing outer labyrinth and surrounding buildings, such as the family crypt, to the dome where the killers congregate at the beginning of the film, filled to the brim with stuffed heads of different creatures and a large number of artifacts and weapons that make you want to pause each plane to absorb everything.

From the beginning we verified that the director wanted to do an exercise in style in every sense. Very measured are the camera movements, the use of light, the use of black and white mixed with the red glow of the blood stone, and the fantastic soundtrack. (as it is still one of the best) to maintain that ancient feeling without losing the dynamism necessary for the present times. The special continues to pay homage with the use of shadows to create suspense and with Jack’s transformation into a werewolf, much more logical with the air of the special than the monster they have to hunt, whose CGI is too obvious.

Let’s talk about what the special itself counts. ‘The Curse of the Werewolf’ bases its story on the idea of ​​family and the weight that an inheritance can have on someone, particularly with the character of Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly) but also with Jack. But in 50 minutes he has little time to develop two characters so thoroughly that they manage to be captivating, but who have nothing more than a simple introduction.. Both Gael García Bernal and Laura Donnelly take advantage of each character’s moments of brilliance, only to be eclipsed by a magnificent Harriet Sansom Harris as a widow / lover of ceremonies.

The special devotes much of its duration to a hunt / chase through the farm maze, and while it’s not overly based on specific fears, it gives it an adrenaline rush. ‘The werewolf’s curse’ in what is most surprising is the explicit violence, the dismemberments, ax blows and blood splatters that come to splash the screen. I’d say it’s a quantum leap for Marvel, but the studio has managed to play with black and white so it’s not that gory. It’s not for kids, but you shouldn’t expect a slasher either. And while they’re new directions for Marvel (although Elizabeth Olsen was able to give Wanda goosebumps), the studio’s signature humor hits break the vibe it created. Perhaps because the wonderful humor doesn’t sound in step with the classic air of this proposition, instead of opting for a slightly more classic comedy.

Marvel opens the doors to our monsters

“The Werewolf’s Curse” is a curious experiment within the MCU. It is a very promising behind-the-scenes debut for Michael Giacchino, who took advantage of this opportunity given to him by the House of Ideas to show that, in addition to hearing, he has sight. And that the franchise includes more than a style, more than a tone, a photograph. But perhaps with a little more time, maybe as a movie even if it were for Disney +, he could have developed the narrative part a little more and made us understand that, as Kevin Feige himself pointed out, we are facing a turning point. for franchising. This Halloween special features a world where, in addition to superheroes, we also live with monsters that don’t necessarily come from other dimensions or different universes. Werewolves, vampires, creatures of the lake and other horror mythology are welcome in the stories of Captain Marvel or the Hulk, with the possibilities that this offers. Hopefully, the terror is here to stay, to interrupt the MCU a little more, and to allow the madness to continue introducing the surprise effect into the franchise.

“Marvel Studios Presents: Curse of the Werewolf” will premiere on Disney + on October 7.

Note: 7

The best: the interesting direction by Michael Giacchino and the photography by Zoë White. The soundtrack. The possibilities it can give to the UCM.

Worse: In the narrative it is very short and does not allow the characters to develop enough. The pace is somewhat irregular.