7.8/10. Lots of fun here. I really enjoyed the balance of the mundane and the fantastical. Taking something as out there as a bunch of vampires living in modern New Zealand, and balancing it out with the interpersonal dynamics and tone of *The Office* made for a fantastic combination. What’s more, the special effects were surprisingly good, from the bat-to-bat combat between Deacon and Nick, or their *Inception*-esque fight in the hallway of the flat.

I also liked that everyone had something to do and a defined personality, which really made this is as much of a character comedy as it was something that got its yuks from the outstanding premise. Viago is a chipper dork and weak-willed romantic, which makes him sympathetic amongst the larger personalities around his home. Making him the erstwhile protagonist of the film was a nice choice that help keep things light and friendly, and giving him a love story, albeit a humorously fractured one, was a nice choice too that let the movie go out on a pleasant note.

Vlad worked well as a self-involved version of Francis Ford Coppola/Gary Oldman’s version of Dracula. Jermaine Clement was nigh unrecognizable and gave a great performance in the film. And the reveal that the infamous “Beast” who was the bête noir of Vlad was actually an ex-girlfriend he’s on bad terms with after a bad break up was a fun reveal.

Deacon was the real engine of the film though, abusing Jackie’s kindnesses and jostling with Nick as he feels the new recruit is taking his spot in the group. He created most of the conflict in the film (short of the amusing rivalry with the werewolves, which he was an instigator of) and even apart from his hilarious erotic dance, that made him and his slacker/napoleon complex character an entertaining and important part of the film.

I also really enjoyed the film’s mix of vampire lore and the prosaic day-to-day of everyday life. Bits like the vampires needing to be invited in to get into dance clubs, or putting newspapers down before harvesting a victim, or marveling at things like youtube and texting were hilarious deconstructions of the whole “immortals in the modern world” conceit.

Overall, it was a fun horror comedy, that derived most of its humor from the combination of its supernatural setup and its plot centered on the quotidian concerns of young men in the city. Much credit goes to the tone of the film, and it’s mockumentary style that helped ground the paranormal material in a funny, sundry day-to-day to sort of vibe. There’s something really fun about examining the little bumps in the road for larger than life figures, and *What We Do in the Shadows* has that in spades.