Directed by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi
Written by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi
Starring: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Burgh, Cori Gonzalez-Maucer
In an age where mockumentary-style TV shows are abundant with the likes of Modern Family, and when the words "these go to eleven" are a phrase that many people use and revere, it's somewhat hard to find a way to make something new and fresh. The same can be said about vampire movies (Thanks Twilight, Dark Shadows, and Vampires Suck).
What does What We Do in the Shadows do? It goes and makes them new and fresh.
WWDITS follows 4 (eventually 5) vampires for several months to demonstrate what vampires are ACTUALLY like, as well as how they live. There are werewolves, zombies, witches and more, and they all live in Wellington, New Zealand! Crazy, right?
One name you're bound to recognize if you're into the world of comedy is Jemaine Clement, otherwise known as "that one guy from Flight of the Conchords with the glasses." He and writing/director partner Taiki Waititi write, direct and star in What We Do in the Shadows and boy do they work well as a team.
The obvious comparison is to Flight of the Conchords since Jemaine is a member, but it's a good comparison still. Humor and writing style are the same, tone is the same, and that's FAAAAANTASTIC. Sarcasm and dry humor prevail throughout the movie; it's the subtle things that really get you. Sometimes it can be somewhat predictable, but the execution is so good that you still laugh and maybe laughed even more because of how it was done. I laughed so hard, probably more than I have all year long. "I think we drink virgin blood because it sounds cool." Delivery is key with that sort of dry wit/sarcastic humor and this cast just kills it. Boom, jokes.
Cinematicly, it's shot pretty well. It's a documentary, so overlayed footage, but a lot of cuts to breeze through time. There are two skips in time of a few months but it doesn't feel rushed or forced because of the ease that Clement and Waititi have over their writing and directing. Everything fits together to create this fantastic version of The Real World mashed up with Only Lovers Left Alive.
Also, Rhys Darby calls someone a dickhead and that's always bound to get you laughing.
What We Do in the Shadows is such a hilarious, interesting take on mockumentaries and vampires and paranormal life in general that it gets a 9/10.
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