Werewolf by Night

Not quite as toothsome as one might hope, but no howler either, this is a thin, fun Marvel outing that hints at bigger monster business to come.

While watchable enough and enjoyable in parts, this brief one-shot story isn't the surefire hit it deserved to be, with a quickly worn out gimmick covering for a plot entirely lacking in substance.

We’ve got a demonically well-decorated Halloween one-off that’s packed with treats for horror fans.

[Werewolf by Night] has a clever conceit, chilly atmosphere, and droll sense of humor that suggests it might have worked quite well as a full-length feature. In its present form, though, it remains a bite-size treat that MCU diehards will find difficult to resist.

Ultimately, “Werewolf By Night” is entertaining at best, forgettable and disposable at worst, and a quick and easy way to introduce the title character, Elsa Bloodstone and Man-Thing, into the MCU.

With this special, Marvel turns off the lights and starts down the dark basement stairs that every horror fan knows are trouble… though really, we’re all too intrigued by what’s at the bottom to tell them to stop.

Flexing different muscles, Marvel’s Werewolf by Night is a nifty Halloween-timed special designed as a black-and-white homage to the Universal monster movies of the 1930s and ’40s. Told with wry humor while tapping into unexplored quadrants of comics lore, it’s a bit too gory and scary for younger kids but a gift to fans that raises enticingly monster-ous possibilities.

It’s the creepiest and bloodiest Marvel project by far, and clocking in at a lean 53 minutes long, it’s a perfect, snack-sized Halloween treat heading into the spookiest of seasons.

At only 52 minutes and decidedly light on plot and supporting characters, it’s a slight but fairly amusing thing, elevated above being a mere exercise in style by the lead performances from Gael Garcia Bernal and Laura Donnelly.

e’re glad they rolled the dice. Giacchino is better known for his musical work — that moody, creepy score for The Batman is his — but as a director, he’s got a great sense of how to sustain a mood without losing momentum. ... We could use more creative distractions from mondo world-building like this. Just drop them more than once every full moon, please.

Mostly monochromatic, Universal Monsters-spoofing, hour-long “special presentation”, which splits the difference between a feature and a half-hour TV episode, and manages to feel both draggy and slight in the process.

Taken at its face — a Halloween special about a werewolf that pays homage to classic monster movies — Werewolf by Night more than succeeds. Strong leads and masterful directing from Giacchino make this a delectable All Hollows’ treat.

Just an entertaining, 52-minute program shot in the style of classic Universal Studios monster movies. ... This Halloween-season special is a true treat, not a trick.

Steel yourself for thoroughly retro chills and thrills, as you Marvel at the bite-size delight they call… Werewolf By Night!

As homages go, this may have the (digital) monochromatic look of the various Frankenstein, Wolf Man or King Kong movies of the ’30s and ’40s. But even the most generous reading of what little is here has to conclude it’s pretty inconsequential stuff. Hardcore fans probably won’t mind that.