Marvel Studios
Whether he’s crafting a sense of melancholic grandeur for the Caped Crusader or the retro spy theme of a superhero family, Michael Giacchino is one of the most prolific composers working today. Given how much we know him for his musical acumen, it came as quite the surprise when it was announced that he would be stepping into the director’s seat for a Marvel Halloween special.
Giacchino is the last person I expected to helm a project for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, after seeing what he’s capable of behind the camera, it was clear from the get-go that he was the perfect candidate. After all, Giacchino has made it known that he adores monster movies, specifically the classic Universal Monsters.
The Werewolf of Bloodstone wreaks havoc
Given how the special takes time to build a bond between Jack and Elsa, an air of suspense derives from whether the Werewolf will hurt her or not. When Verusa (Harriet Sansom Harris) uses the Bloodstone to unleash Jack’s inner night beast, the hidden monster in their midst finally makes himself known.
I could go all day about the makeup, but to keep my praise short, Giacchino largely continues the long-standing tradition of practical effects. The transformation is done in shadow to great effect, but once you see the gruff and hairy Jack emerge from his cage, his full design looks phenomenal. He is the last thing you would want to encounter on a cold night in the woods, and it only helps that the first time you lay eyes on Bernal’s face, Giacchino pulls off a perfect dolly zoom shot on Jack, as his glowing Werewolf eyes are illuminated in the darkness.
With Marvel’s titular monster unleashed, it’s time for Wolfy to go to town in a gloriously violent sequence that warmed my movie monster-loving heart.
A Werewolf set loose on an actual set
With the Bloodstones having wiped out god knows how many monsters in the MCU, the trophy room is the most fitting place for him to unleash his rage, and it’s an incredible set to see. Of course the CG does its work when Jack needs to leap all around the room, but the setting itself looks so good that you hardly even notice. It can almost be difficult to pay attention when Jack is ripping people apart because there’s so much cool stuff just lounging around in the background. But make no mistake, when Bernal goes into berserker mode, it’s a sight to behold.
Giacchino pushes the threshold of Marvel violence
Jack makes a mess of the Bloodstone trophy room, but once his inner Wolfman steps inside that hallway, all bets are off. Giacchino sets up an incredible shot in which a guard is thrown backward toward encroaching soldiers and Jack lets loose on guard after guard. I had the biggest grin on my face as Jack turned the entire room into a bloody rampage worthy of any monster.
Lights are flashing, bodies are piling up, blood is spilling, and all the while, a strobing light effect highlights the true horror of being trapped face-to-face with a bloodthirsty creature of the night. The blood from his victims spraying directly on the camera is the cherry on top of this Halloween horror sundae.
Well done, Mr. Giacchino. Well done.
“Werewolf by Night” is currently streaming on Disney+.
