Billed as a “special presentation,” the 53-minute long Werewolf by Night exists between a TV show and full length feature film. It’s akin to Marvel’s one-shot comic books where creators are allowed some form of creative freedom, without the restraints of having it tied to the larger continuity. It’s the perfect way for experimentation, and to bring more obscure characters into the fold. So by that same aspect, Michael Giacchino, in his directorial debut, delves into the horror corner of the Marvel Universe, and subsequently pays homage to the Universal horror classics from the 1930s. The result is a fun light viewing material induced with Marvel flair, just in time for Halloween.

The plot is very simple: the legendary monster hunter Ulysses Bloodstone has died. In his funeral, his widow Verusa Bloodstone (Harriet Sansom Harris) has invited some of the world’s most infamous hunters – they are mostly unnamed, ironically, and are only really there to be cliched fodder – to complete a challenge. Whoever completes the test first will be the next wielder of the bloodstone, a glowing, red supernatural relic that gives its possessor strength and protection to battle monsters. One of the hunters, Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal), clearly has an agenda. He cares little for the bloodstone for he is a monster himself, the titular Werewolf by Night, and is only there to save his friend the Man-Thing (whose CG design is simply excellent). Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly), Ulysses’ estranged daughter, also arrives in the gathering uninvited to take what she thinks is rightfully her birthright.

Writers Heather Quinn and Peter Cameron keeps things aggressively simple. The film’s script is written with efficient pacing, but thin on everything else. It offers a fun premise, but there’s barely any development in the characters. I can’t help but feel the story has the potential to be bigger, one that can leave a positive mark for Marvel’s first true entry in the horror genre. It could’ve used more surprises and memorable characters to give it any weight.

For Werewolf by Night, Giacchino tries to emulate the Universal’s monster movies, and unfortunately, it doesn’t quite reach it as one would expect. It’s little bit scary and gory, but not that much. Yes, it’s got the grainy black-and-white visual aesthetic of old films, but as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness already dabbled in horror territory (and did it very well), surely it’s normal to expect something that’s off the chains in a genre movie like this. Werewolf by Night dips its toes in but never fully submerges in the style. Thankfully, these hang-ups do not necessarily detract from the overall experience due to the impressive sound design, undoubtedly the film’s most standout element. It’s not surprising given Giacchino’s background as a multi-awarded composer, who scored for films like The Batman, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and many more. Being both the director and composer helped him modify the score as needed, adding tension and suspense that help tie everything together.

It’s hard not to think of Werewolf by Night as a proof of concept for Marvel Studios’ future projects. In that way, it totally works. At this point, whatever the studio puts out is a stepping stone to a bigger project, a way to introduce more characters into the MCU. It will be interesting to see the characters of Gael Garcia Bernal and Laura Donnelly again down the line, hopefully with more to work with. Still, Werewolf by Night is a fun and enjoyable little breather from the studio’s usual franchise schlock. Although it could’ve offered a lot more, I’m always down for them trying something different.

Rating: ★★★☆☆