New Zealand has exerted an influence on global cinema that far outweighs its relatively modest population size and landmass. This phenomenon is not merely attributable to its breathtaking landscapes serving as backdrops for Hollywood blockbusters, but equally to the wealth of homegrown cinematic talent emerging from the country. In recent years, few figures have risen to prominence quite like Taika Waititi, the actor, comedian, writer, and director, who was recognised as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022. Waititi’s international career trajectory owes a significant debt to the 2014 horror comedy What We Do in the Shadows, which he co-wrote and co-directed with Jemaine Clement.
The film draws its inspiration from the 2005 short film What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires, written and directed by Clement and Waititi. That earlier project served as a testing ground for the duo, featuring a cast of characters and actors—including Clement and Waititi themselves—who would go on to reprise their roles in the feature-length adaptation.
The narrative premise is deceptively straightforward: a fictional New Zealand Documentary Board has commissioned a film crew to follow a group of vampires living in Wellington, recording their daily lives. The flatmates include Viago (Waititi), a 379-year-old vampire attempting to adhere to social etiquette; Vladislav the Poker (Clement), an 862-year-old former medieval tyrant; Deacon Brooke (Jonathan Brugh), an 183-year-old dandy and 'rebel' who enjoys erotic dancing; and Petyr (Ben Fransham), an 8,000-year-old Nosferatu-like figure who rarely emerges from the basement. They are served by Jackie (Jackie van Beek), a human servant frustrated by their reluctance to turn her. Jackie brings victims to the house; among them is her ex-boyfriend Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer), who is turned by Petyr. Nick’s braggadocio leads to a house attack by a vampire hunter who kills Petyr, resulting in Nick’s banishment. The story concludes at the Unholy Masquerade, where Vladislav confronts an old flame and Nick has turned Jackie and brought Stu (Stu Rutherford), an IT expert who introduces them to modern technology.
While What We Do in the Shadows is not the first film to inject humour into vampire lore through the lens of mundane modern life, Clement and Waititi manage to render it refreshingly new. The film employs deadpan humour and references ranging from Murnau’s Nosferatu to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Having a documentary crew record supernatural events creates a distinctively surreal effect. A standout moment involves the vampires using their powers to hypnotise two police officers, Officer O’Leary and Officer Minogue, who have arrived to investigate disturbances. The dry, deadpan New Zealand comedy is effective and entertaining, echoing co-writer Jemaine Clement’s Flight of the Conchords; the style is supported by superb performances from the cast, Waititi particularly showing his caliber as an actor-writer-director.
The mockumentary format itself is not without precedent, with the macabre tone evoking the Belgian cult classic Man Bites Dog. However, the film retains a sense of freshness, partly due to the legacy of New Zealand cinema. The approach is bolstered by the involvement of Peter Jackson, whose earlier work, including the mockumentary Forgotten Silver, helped establish the style in New Zealand cinema. This lineage ensures that the faux documentary format feels authentic rather than derivative, despite its familiarity to modern audiences.
The production relies heavily on its cast, particularly the central duo who deliver well-rounded, very different and very memorable characters. Relatively unknown actors such as Cori Gonzalez-Macuer bring a 'normie' perspective to Nick, while Stu Rutherford—who is an IT professional in real life—imparts a charming authenticity to the proceedings. The chemistry between the actors is palpable, with Waititi and Clement seemingly understanding misfits thoroughly. The film shines when it focuses on the main cast just being terribly obvious vampires trying to live day to day, each performance is funny and over the top and incredibly well written and performed.
Although not every joke lands—some, such as Viago’s tragic romance with a 96-year-old human woman, fall flat—many succeed in eliciting genuine laughter. Waititi and Clement wisely cap the running time at just under an hour and a half, a decision that prevents the audience from becoming bored or noticing segments that lack coherence. This brevity is a testament to their confidence in the material, ensuring that the film remains a tight, entertaining piece of work rather than an extended sketch that overstays its welcome.
What We Do in the Shadows premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, a pivotal moment that helped Waititi secure directing deals with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film itself received a sequel in the form of Wellington Paranormal, a TV series in which Karen O’Leary and Mike Minogue repeated their roles as the officers, which aired from 2016 until 2022. In 2019, the film received an American remake that aired on FX from 2019 until 2024, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the source material.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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