What We Do in the Shadows
Tags: bleak, dark, comedy, humor

Plot synopsis:
The movie tells the daily lifeerrunlife of flatmate vampires Viago, Vladislav, Deacon and Petyr in New Zealand. Viago is the 16th century vampire, aristocratic and bossy often times. Vladislav is the medieval vampire, a noble vampire but also the most ruthless killer of them. Deacon is the youngest changed vampire from the World War II era, often acting out living like a bum in the flat. The last of them, Petyr, is the oldest of them, aging about 8000 years old. They live their everyday lives n the flat, still influenced by the cultures from their own times. The trio Viago, Vladislav and Deacon sometimes go out to the town and hang out. Deacon has a human familiar Jackie who does most of the blood cleaning related housework in the flat. She also lure in victims for the vampires. Deacon has promised vampirehood to Jackie but hasnt turned her yet. One night Jackie brings a couple Nick and Josephine as victims. Nick gets his blood drained by Petyr but he also turns him into a vampire. And then there were four. Nick brings in new cultural color to the group. Soon He brings his friend Stu, an IT guy, to the group. Stu introduces the modern information technology to the group and becomes a good friend to them. For this, and because hes Nicks best friend, the group form a pact not to eat Stu.Besides inviting Stu into the group, Nick is quite irresponsible of his newly gained vampirehood. He has been carelessly telling just about anybody that hes a vampire, even showing some of his abilities to complete human strangers. One day, a vampire hunter comes to the flats basement, Petyrs lair. Petyr easily kills the hunter but he dies of sunlight. The group blames Nick for this and banishes him from the flat. Alas, the night for the Unholy Masquerade comes. The masquerade is the once a year night where New Zealands undead community comes and mingles together. Vladislav doesnt go for knowing his nemesis is the events guest of honor. Viago and Deacon go there and find that Jackie has been turned by Nick. They also bring Stu there, still human. Soon the masquerade guests find out that Stu is human and they get eager to eat him. The group manages to get Stu out safely but on their way home they meet their nemesis werewolf pack who are transforming since its a full moon night. They eventually attack Stu and mangle his body. But it turns out that the attack turns Stu into a werewolf and that make the vampires and the werewolfs to be friends.

Review: Lot's of people are disregarding this movie due to "Lack of plot" or "Poor cinematography".This isn't supposed to be that sort of movie, it's a mockumentary, done in the style of a documentary.They have nailed that look perfectly, and the plot doesn't matter in a comedy.The comedy is great, the deadpan nature of it is hilarious, the jokes are brilliant.Go in with the open mind that it's not your classic style of comedy.I think it's a great movie..
I was also surprised by the special effects which were really well done.At one point it did feel like the jokes were getting old, but just as I had finished that thought, the movie changes and ends brilliantly.
Just watching some of the hilarious chaos that ensues in their everyday life is enough.There are not many movies that make me actually laugh out loud, but this one did on several occasions (usually comedies, even great ones, just keep me grinning through out).
The premise of vampire flatmates is absurd, but it works great, because the movie takes its characters just serious enough for the audience to be somewhat emotionally invested in them.
If you like mockumentaries, dark comedy, vampires, or are just generally into humor, definitely go see this one.
The cast in this movie are well picked, and Stu was brilliantly played by...well Stu. Taiki Waititi & Jemaine Clement really get the whole dilemma of everyday life as a vampire!
Physical humour, plain old slapstick, facial expressions/body language (especially that camp vampire who always leads the doco crew around, his facial expressions and eye-movements when following the cameras cracked me up every time), and obviously sarcasm and satire are underlying themes.This thing felt that it was running on all cylinders for the entire movie.
It also manages to feel effortless; there was no sense of them trying too hard for laughs - the mockumentary setting helped the film in this sense, despite the plot being thin.
you'll probably love this- it follows the mockumentary format excellently but ups the ante because its following a cast of actual (in the worldof the movie) vampires.
I laughed and laughed and laughed.This is not a Vampire Movie, this is a mockumentary about some flatmates who happen to be vampires, just, y'know, incidentally.It is laugh-out-loud (LOL, young people) funny for extended periods.
The three lead vampires in this film were absolutely fantastic, especially Jonathon Brugh (His solo dance routine was one of the most awkwardly hilarious things I have ever seen!).
I loved all three of the main characters and their interactions with Stu. I was laughing the whole way through this film which is continuously funny.
Though it is about the undead, you can feel the warm heart beating below the surface of What we do in the Shadows, a film which will leave you thinking about vampires, and maybe about the world too, in a new way..
The movie addresses various aspects of being a vampire in New Zealand today:* sunlight leaking into your habitat* vampire wannabes hassling you* virgins can be incredibly hard to get by* Wellington itself feels so dead you constantly have to remind yourself that you're actually undead* discrimination is rife against immigrants (especially blood-sucking vampires from Transsylvania like yourself)* same goes doubly for Nazi vampires* feminist "familiars" (servants) constantly bickering while they're ironing your frills* werewolves and vampire hunters constantly riding your ass* mortal friends and chums frequently dieing off* flatmates refuse to do bloody dishesSo you don't have to be part and parcel of the vampire hype to dig this flick.
We both enjoyed this film equally.From the opening scene to the closing credits, it is laugh out loud funny.
It pokes fun at every part of the vampire mythology without resorting to simply being a parody of other movies.The film simply follows the life (if I can call it that) of four vampires of various ages sharing a run down flat in Wellington, New Zealand.
In this film you'll get to see how vampires do the vacuuming, how vampires eat chips and why vampires put newspaper down when entertaining a guest.All the cast look like they are having great fun, and I loved Rhys Darby as a very responsible werewolf, making sure all the members of his pack are wearing stretchy pants on the night of the full moon.Deducting one point for lack of originality, but other than that I can't fault this.
The "vampire mockumentary" plot is something that I don't think anyone eve dreamed of, but it's utterly devoted to making every comedy worth it and it succeeds.
Four vampires share a flat in New Zealand, and this mockumentary follows them!
They are flatmates in New Zealand and they invite a documentary crew to film their daily activities that are very similar to our lives but with a vampire twist, like bringing people home from nightclubs to suck their blood, or going to undead festivals..
The funniest moments only work with the expert delivery by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi who star in the movie as Viago and Vladislav as well as writing and directing it.
If you told most of the jokes to someone they probably wouldn't get it but with the awkward pauses and absurdity that you see and hear in the movie, it makes you laugh every time.What I dislike:
Writers/directors Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi wisely keep the focus tight and mine the mundane (a vampire chore wheel, the tensions of sharing a flat with others) for humor as much as they explore the more absurd elements of the premise, like how to get into a nightclub when you have to be invited in, tricky relationship management with familiars, and run-ins with a rival gang of werewolves.
If the best mockumentaries explore the social, cultural and political milieu of its subjects, this one has to make those things up out of pop culture depictions, so it isn't always as sharp and wickedly funny as the great examples of the genre.
What we do in the shadows was a witty and entertaining movie that covered a large amount of ground, and was filled with plenty of genuinely funny humor.
The satire found throughout was well executed, and it felt that no stone was left unturned in its analysis of the vampire mythos.Being a mockumentary, everything was done right and explained, and a feeling of realism emanated as the movie progressed.
A degree of true horror aspect was held throughout the main backdrop making the humorous aspects all the more enjoyable.Exceeded my expectations, and I highly recommend giving this one a watch for any fans of mockumentary films, vampire/horror movies and comedies.8/10.
Many jokes are taken from roommate/college-night-out situations and translated to vampires, with only a handful of laughing out loud moments in the entire movie.
What We Do in the Shadows is a low-budget, horror comedy about a small group of vampires that live in an apartment together in modern day New Zealand.
If you love comedies, you absolutely have to watch this bloody movie!.
The introduction of the werewolves was a nice break, but otherwise there is just too little material that has been stretched too far over the run time.In summary: a great idea, well executed for the most part, but a film that could possibly have benefited from being far more concise so as to not dilute the impact of the general concept.I want to rate it higher than 6, but 7 seems too generous.
Bloody Good Fun. Though gouts of blood shoot from necks at times, this "mockumentary" is hilarious.
If you've seen some of the scores of vampire movies from the past, you'll delight in getting the inside jokes.
However, you don't have to be an expert on bloodsuckers to enjoy watching this movie because it's bloody good fun..
From the team behind the hugely successful Flight of the Conchords and the fabulous indie hit, Eagle Vs Shark, What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy horror mockumentary with 'hilarious' stamped all the way through it.Except it isn't.
Hilarious, that is.Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi write, direct, produce and perform in this spoof documentary about a group of vampire flatmates trying to deal with life in modern times and each other's annoying traits.
Nor, it appears, does being several centuries old help one iota when it comes to deciding what to wear to the nightclub.There is plenty to like on display: the costumes are fabulously camp, there are references aplenty to the great vampires of film and literature, the sets are fun and there are one or two lovely, practical effects that splatter blood, but nothing too horrific or likely to raise the pulse.There are even a couple of surprising, and very welcome digital effects thrown in.
When they appear, they are amusing, but perhaps What We Do in the Shadows could have benefited from a matriarchal touch.For years Christopher Guest has delighted audiences with mockumentaries like Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and the peerless This is Spinal Tap, and my guess is this this is what Clement and Waititi were aiming for.
It's not.Instead of just expecting people to see you're kiwi and laugh, maybe try writing a good script or a funny joke?.
It was the worst movie I've seen this decade.If you love vampire movies, love bad B grade movies, and you know Wellington, you might enjoy this film.
What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy/horror focusing mainly on a group of vampires living together in modern New Zealand.
He expects the others to do the same.All of the actors have really done a great job getting into character; especially Taika Waititi as Viago and Jermaine Clement as Vladislav.For me the biggest problem with the movie is that there really is not much of a plot.
A fictional documentary exposes the day-to-day lives of four vampires sharing a home in Wellington, New Zealand.The movie begins awkwardly in an amateurish way.
If you like vampires or the concept of a comedy driven mockumentary about vampires I would say give it a watch..
Bat fight!" actually made me laugh out loud.If you're a fan of comedy, see this movie.
"What We Do in the Shadows" is a fantastic New Zealand vampire mockumentary, no surprise considering Taika Waititi ("Thor Ragnarok" director) and "Flight of the Conchords'" Jermaine Clement are involved."...Shadows" is about a vampire sharehouse in Wellington, New Zealand - Viago (Waititi), Vladislav (Clement), Deacon (Jonny Brugh) and the 800-year-old Petyr (Ben Fransham) - filmed for a documentary.
Other highlights are the werewolves, with Rhys Darby playing the alpha male Anton, and the clueless local police.Arguably the best vampire comedy since Leslie Nielsen's "Dracula: Dead and Loving It", "...Shadows" is a welcome contrast from the wave of more serious vampire-themed TV series and movies.With Waititi gaining recognition after "Thor Ragnarok", hopefully curious fans will check out "...Shadows".
There is nothing much else to talk about this film that is basically a bad and cringe-worthy execution.BOTTOM LINE: If it is streaks of laughter that you are expecting to do while watching this indie satire show, then I'll suggest you better wait till the time they start selling the DVDs for free, if that ever happens.
Maybe i didn't laugh really hard at every joke they had in movie but i kinda smiled every time.
This film is nothing less than hilarious and a definite must-see for people who like vampires AND funny movies.
Great movie, very funny - worth a watch.
This movie is truly hilarious, a unique humour that needs to be watched.
It is about a group of vampires who live together in Wellington, New Zealand, who have a documentary crew follow them around showing us the inner workings of the lives of vampires, unlike Interview with a Vampire (which i reviewed last month) it is hilarious.
The movie features them living life both as vampires and flatmates, trying to get into nightclubs, keeping up with the chore wheel and getting along all the time.
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS is a fake documentary following a group of vampires who have a shared living arrangement in a worn-down mansion in New Zealand.
An adventure filled with magic, werewolves and vampires ensues.WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS is one of the funniest movies I've seen since quite a while.
It reminds me of Shaun of the Dead in that way.Recommended for any fan of vampires, comedies, and fringe-movies.This one really thinks outside the coffin..
This was something I stumbled across almost by accident and is one of the funniest films I have seen for years.The documentary style combines with absurd, macabre humour and brilliant comic acting performances to produce what I suspect will become a cult classic along the lines of Withnail & I and Spinal Tap.The story of a small group of vampires 'flatting' in the Wellington area of New Zealand, their back histories spoken to camera, and the lead up to the Unholy Masquerade result in some truly hilarious set- pieces and complications such as who is responsible for doing the dishes and how best to be 'invited' into the hottest nightclubs in the city on a night out.
Do you like to get drunk?Do you like to leave a mess?Do you like brainless humour?Do you have low expectation from life?If so, then this is the movie for you.It takes a basic concept of having a group of 'vampires' living together like student flatmates.
A Flight of the Conchords mockumentary inspecting the logistics of the vampire social scene in modern-day New Zealand.
Though I can certainly see some people having a problem with the deadpan humor, a lot of the comedy comes from the cultural differences from the extremely old vampires (some dating back to the Medieval Times) as they struggle to keep up with current times.
Basically the movie will mostly likely be a bust for you if you are someone who doesn't find the general idea of a bunch of vampires struggling to fit into today's society funny.
Not to mention the numerous jokes about todays current vampire movies, there are a few but they're pretty funny!
Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), Petyr (Ben Fransham) and Vladislav (Jemaine Clement) are those vampires, and we shall see how they struggle with issues like being flatmates, doing the house chores and cope with modern day lifestyle; all of this is an overwhelming, funny and bloody adventure.
Tongue in cheek kiwi humour combined with some hilarious "fight" and "feast" scenes make this movie a unique and original comedy masterpiece.
It is a ridiculously fun, original comedy film as we follow a group of vampires in a documentary style, getting to see what a regular week is like for them.
A complete riot, What We do in the Shadows is great fun, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good comedy.
The film is largely a 'big in-joke' and aficionados of the genre will recognise each of bloodsuckers from movies/books but even if vampires are not your cup of blood, it is still pretty funny.
After 10 minutes I was loving the sense of humour and style of jokes.Definitely a great mockumentary for old school horror fans as long as you know beforehand not to take this film seriously.
Waititi & Clement are just as brilliant in front of the camera as they are behind it, Brugh is equally devoted to his role, Fransham is a show-stealer as the 8000-years old vampire, Gonzales-Macuer does well with he's given while both Jackie & Stu play their human selves convincingly.On an overall scale, What We Do in the Shadows is one of the rare horror comedies that works on all levels, and is an extremely funny, wildly entertaining & thoroughly satisfying example of its kind.
Low budget comedy gold, this is one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time.
Overall, this movie was creative , hilarious , genius , and Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi are still impressing with their ongoing works of true art.
Best vampire movie in years!.
I highly recommend this film to everyone who enjoys Vampires and Comedy!
It paints a believable portrait of modern-day vampires in a way that works even if you haven't seen a horror movie before - though, obviously the experience is infinitely enhanced if you have.
But teenagers and adults will love this movie; I recommend watching it in a group so you can have a barrel of laughs with all your friends, because it is just too good to watch alone..
From Taika Waititi, What We Do is a mockumentary of vampire flat-mates that is as funny as any film you'll see.
I loved this movie and have watched it several times.I laughed several times before the opening credits, and that type of humor is the humor throughout.
I will definitely be thinking about this movie the next time I see a vampire onscreen..
How can four vampires living in the same flat make everything look so funny?
Very original film about vampires sharing a flat (filmed like a documentary) .
What a great and funny movie!!.
I have seen it 20 more times, what a great movie.
What we do in the shadows is one of the most original films in the last several years, I enjoyed everything about this movie, the characters were funny, the story is gripping, and the overall idea is just spectacular!
This mockumentary about four vampires sharing a house in Wellington, NZ is one of the funniest films I've seen in years.
I think "What We Do in the Shadows" is to vampire movies what "Shaun of the Dead" is to zombie flicks.
A fantastically (no pun there) funny mocumentary made by the brilliant taika waititi, watch if you want to call yourself a fan of comedy.