Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
Werewolf by Night is a genuinely distinctive entry in the MCU, shot in black-and-white with a deliberate 1930s-50s Universal horror aesthetic that sets it apart from virtually everything else in the franchise. The cinematography is exceptional for its format — moody, high-contrast, and lovingly crafted. Its novelty is real: a Halloween special that leans fully into classic monster movie homage rather than superhero formula. The plot is serviceable but thin, leaning on atmosphere over substance, and the ending feels rushed and undercooked, failing to fully capitalize on the tension built throughout. Acting is solid across the board, with Gael García Bernal bringing quiet intensity, though the short runtime limits character depth.