What We Do In The Shadows

Here we have a most enjoyable slice of horror hokum from Kiwi Country, filmed in a tongue-in-cheek mockumentary style and centres around three likable vampires and their struggles to cope with modern-day life in Wellington.

Have you ever really asked yourself just who it is that sucks the nation dry? Of course it isn’t just politicians! Enter the quirky world of Viago (Taika Waititi), Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh) and Petyr (Ben Fransham), the Max Schreck-lookalike who lives like a rat in the cellar. Upstairs, the three flatmates live in relative harmony despite the odd domestic quarrel. We get to know these guys pretty well as each relates in a highly amusing manner to the camera how he became ‘afflicted’ looong time ago (in Vladislav’s case, a veeery looong time ago)! General harmony is interrupted by their need to go out scavenging for fresh blood and also having to provide provisions for the ‘cellar rat’.

Unfortunately one of the victims, Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer) becomes a vampire himself after a hilarious chase through the house of horrors. Our vampires, feeling somewhat guilty about this, decide to take the ingénue under their wing. Although it should be pointed out that Deacon keeps a ‘vampire-hag’ called Jackie (Jackie van Beek) as his domestic slave with the promise to turn her into an immortal soul. Talk about empty promises…
However, Nick being somewhat inexperienced and lacking their many years of vampiric wisdom, proves to be somewhat of a loose canon to say the least, and even brings his best human pal Stu (Stuart Rutherford) along to meet his new ‘family’. Now this is something that’s simply not done! The upshot is that Stu, an easy-going lad by any stretch of the imagination, ends up staying… which is a great temptation for the remaining vampires, but really they’re a decent bunch of guys. That said, there is considerable friction between Deacon and new family member Nick.

We follow the gang out on a night in town, when en route they just happen to bump into a rival gang of werewolves… and we all know what werewolves are! One of the film’s highlights is the annual masked monster ball, though Nick of course insists that human pal Stu comes along, creating havoc in the process, as Stu is the only one with a reflection in the grand mirror. At the film’s climax, its vampires vs. werewolves in a no-hold barred gloves-off battle.

Two of the three lead actors, namely Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, are also the directors of this bonkers adventure. The performances are nicely over the top, with a plethora of mock-European accents and a number of in-jokes, which is only as it should be to make a vehicle like this work. These guys are clearly having a lot of fun, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t either.
On a slightly more serious level, this film can be seen as a parable for our times.

As for the DVD-bonus material (and there are many) it is all a trifle over-indulgent though Deacon’s sexy dance sequence is a hoot to watch!