How entertaining?     ★★★★★
Thought provoking? ★★☆☆☆

10 April 2014

This article is a review of WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS.

By Hemanth Kissoon

Seen at the Berlin International Film Festival 2014. (For more information, click here.)

Asked why vampires like drinking virgins' blood, Vladislav (Jemaine Clement) deadpan replies, "Would you eat a sandwich someone had f*cked?"

The New Zealand Documentary Board crew were granted protection while filming a vampire coven situated in a Wellington suburb. And by coven: A house share of four dorky ancient bloodsuckers. Our initial guide is Viago (Taika Waititi – also co-writer/director with Clement), a 379-year old, ladling on a thick pseudo-German accent. The documentary team, who the audience don’t see (this isn’t a Michael Moore/Nick Broomfield style film), is there to cover “The Unholy Masquerade” ball, where a secret society of the undead meets only every few years. In the lead up to the event, we get to know (and grow to love) these vamp subjects. What a hilarious mockumentary, from three quarters of the FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS team! (Bret McKenzie must have been busy with MUPPETS MOST WANTED.)

Based on a 2005 short film, a feature has finally been birthed nearly a decade later. And it was worth the wait. Rolling-around-on-the-floor-laughing is the de facto state, as line after line is dropped, tied to brilliant visual gags. 2014 has so far been a banner year for comedy (see also THE LEGO MOVIE, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, MUPPETS MOST WANTED and IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE.)

Along with Viago and Vladislav (862-years old), there is also 107-year old Deacon (Jonathan Brugh) and the Nosferatu-looking 8000-year old Petyr (Ben Fransham). No longer bothering to speak, and almost feral, the latter lives in a makeshift crypt in the basement. After awaking, a flat meeting is called to discuss the lack of adherence to the chore roster. “We should get some slaves,” Vladislav opines. Deacon, who knits and entertains his pals with not-so-erotic Bollywood dances, does have a put-upon human familiar to run his errands – Jackie (Jackie van Beek).

Akin to a Harrier Jump Jet, these guys can hover and fly. Rarely used for anything cool, they levitate while bickering to show heightened annoyance. Vlad is a “bit of a pervert” and enjoys pottery. A picture of dweeby affability arises; in particular on a trip clubbing to the centre of town – no reflections mean they have to draw each other to get a sense of their get-up. A stunning self belief, Vladislav observes, “We are the bait, but also the trap.” Leather trouser clad Deacon wears a ram’s skull over his crotch. They wonder why no ladies respond to their advances. Of course no hip nightspot invites them in (a prerequisite for blood sucker entry), retreating to a grim vampire pub, suffused in the atmosphere of the depressing local.

“That didn’t go so great, I think I hit the main artery,” Viago

Things get shaken up when Petyr turns an annoying 20-something, Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer), into one of them. He wreaks havoc in coming to terms with a steep learning curve of undead mores; and together with Nick’s best bud Stu (Stuart Rutherford), they drag the vamp coterie into the 21st century. Absence of firm narrative does not undermine a truly joyous cinematic experience. Making for diverting minor subplots, each of the household have their own issues to resolve.

An absurdist treat, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS can be talked of in the same breath as BEST IN SHOW and THIS IS SPINAL TAP. Wait till you get to Rhys Darby’s Anton, the ultra polite head of the rival werewolf pack.

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