Marvel
Bloodstone, a world-famous monster hunter and leader of a guild of fellow hunters, has just died. That means there’s a new job opening to be monster hunter head honcho, and so a team of hunters has gathered at the Bloodstone compound — which looks like a brutalist sculpture garden — for a competition. Whoever is able to hunt and kill a captured monster on the compound will become the new leader. And oh yeah, the hunters are free to hunt each other, too. That seems counterproductive — if the monster hunters all kill each other, wouldn’t there be no one left to hunt monsters? No matter.
Hosted by Bloodstone’s widow (an absolutely delightful Harriet Sansom Harris, perhaps the best part of the whole special), the competition has brought together several characters, including two unlikely additions. One is Jack (Gael García Bernal), who seems way too nice and polite when compared to the other hunters. And then there’s Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone, Bloodstone’s estranged daughter who hates her family tradition.
The hunt is on.
Where wolf?
Giacchino hopes to invoke classic Universal monster movies, complete with black and white cinematography. The special is too modern-looking for that, but there are some fun tricks, like fake cigarette burns to signify reel changes. And there’s plenty of style, too, with the black and white cinematography lending the entire endeavor a moody, atmospheric vibe. There’s one particular scene where the werewolf (by night) is illuminated by bursts of light, and it looks wonderful.
/Film Rating: 7 out of 10
