DYLAN DOG:DEAD OF NIGHT
(PG-13)
MOVIE: *** (out of 5)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: * (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Dylan Dog (Brandon Routh) is a private detective who has recently changed his focus. He used to be a paranormal detective in charge of keeping the monsters in check with the rest of the world. However, after the death of his girlfriend, he left that business. However, some new murders that appear to be the work of a werewolf have dragged him back into the game.
WHAT I LIKED
Having not read the original graphic novel (which I actually own, but just haven’t had a chance to look through yet), I can’t say how accurate this is of an adaptation. However, I really feel this movie got a bum rap, not just from audiences but also from critics. It’s not terrible by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, if you can swallow some of the silliness and bad special effects, it’s enjoyable.
With so many movies and television shows attaching weepy and angsty romance to the supernatural these days, it’s at least nice to see a film that features real monsters for a change. The film is different, I’ll give it that, mashing up a modern day private eye story with genre fiction. In this sense, the whole shebang plays out like a twisted “Murder She Wrote” episode.
Routh does a decent job in the lead role, though he will forever struggle to overcome his lukewarm turn as the Man of Steel five years ago. And the rest of the cast is okay, if only for the TV movie feel of “Dylan Dog.” I’m talking about Taye Diggs, who is a little too cheeky in his portrayal of the villain, as well as Sam Huntington, who steps out of his “Being Human” to play a simple zombie in this film.
“Dylan Dog: Dead of Night” wasn’t made for a wide release, but for a late-night video rental or evening watching on cable, it’s not a complete waste of time.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The biggest hurdle this film faces is its production value. The effects look rather cheap, and the delivery feels like it belongs in the realm of a TNT original film rather than a theatrical release. Sometimes this ambition hurts a production. As a direct-to-DVD release, it would seem more impressive.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
Unfortunately, there aren’t any special features on this disc to warrant anything more than a RedBox rental.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
People who like direct-to-DVD horror comedies… even if they’ve already been released in the theaters.