In the spirit of Halloween, I needed candy this week-eye candy. I decided to watch Brandon Routh and Taye Diggs mix it up in this modern monster mashup movie that I would actually sincerely enjoy even if they weren’t so darn pretty. After this second viewing, I remember now that I really wanted to see it again almost immediately when it was still in theaters. (For the record, I do not subject myself to torturously terrible films just to see an attractive man [or two] on screen. If I was down with that, I would have submitted at least to MAGIC MIKE XXL [For Michael Strahan, mostly]. But I didn’t, because those movies look stupid.) Yes, Dylan Dog is sweet-SWEET-eye candy, but he’s also a badass on a mission, slaying the undead (when necessary) and keeping New Orleans safe from a full-blown monster war. This second viewing has me already looking forward to a third.
The following review, less some new revisions, was originally published in 2011 on Sonic-Cinema.com.
Let me start by saying that I am not one who reads comic books or graphic novels; I have never once read this film’s source* material, and I will not pretend otherwise. I do, however, love superheroes, and I have a healthy appreciation for the supernatural. DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT satisfies both affinities for me nicely. While Dylan Dog is not your usual high-flying kind of superhero, he is a hero nonetheless, and Brandon Routh plays the hero role like no one else can: He is unwaveringly sexy and charming, two invaluable qualities in any quality [movie] hero. Playing sidekick to Routh’s hero (once again) is Sam Huntington as Marcus (whom you might recognize as Jimmy Olsen from Routh’s superhero debut in SUPERMAN RETURNS). Few other roles here are so easily defined, though, as this is one story rife with shades of gray.
Dylan Dog is a private investigator in New Orleans (what better American city to set so much undead and supernatural activity), who years ago retired from supernatural investigation (We can tell right away that this is a touchy subject for him, but the reason for this is more slowly revealed throughout the movie.) With Marcus by his side, Dylan answers the call to investigate the murder of a young woman’s father. The young woman, Elizabeth, hands him an old business card that reads, “No pulse? No problem.” Clearly spooked, Dylan tells her he does not take those cases anymore, and he leaves, warning Marcus that Elizabeth (Anita Briem) is “trouble.” But when he finds Marcus dead (or is he?) at the hands of a non-mortal killer, he reconsiders, knowing that solving Elizabeth’s father’s murder will lead him to solving Marcus’s murder as well.
From the trailer, I was under the impression that this was a zombie flick. However, that is but one-third of the story… by which I mean that this is a zombie, werewolf, and vampire flick, although all three are equally central to the plot. And just when you think it is really more about one than the others, you realize that they are all intertwined. Consequently, there are times during the movie when it may seem that the plot is awfully convoluted, but I promise you, by the end, it makes enough sense that you will not leave scratching your head.
If Brandon Routh is not enough eye candy for the ladies, Taye Diggs is in this movie, too. Unfortunately, Diggs has been cast in the villain role. It is fairly safe to call Vargas (Diggs), leader of the “true bloods,” a villain, but one should not be so quick to assume that he is the ultimate evil and that the whole story boils down to Dylan vs. Vargas. This is where all minor nuisances in the movie, for me, are redeemed. Early on, I leaned over to my friend and whispered, “This narration is cheesy.” Later, I leaned over to whisper, “Hussy!” at the less-than-likable, two-dimensional female lead, Elizabeth. But the cheesy narration tapers off as the story builds to a climax, and at almost the very end, we do finally see Elizabeth as more than a mere damsel in distress. True, the inevitable “romance” between Dylan and Elizabeth is essentially pointless and seems haphazardly thrown in pretty much as an afterthought— perhaps as nothing more than an excuse to get Routh’s shirt off— but all is forgiven with the somewhat unexpected twist(s) and the not-at-all-Hollywood “happy” ending.
While this is far from a perfect film, it is a darkly enjoyable escapist treat. And I would say that it is about as good as I would expect of anything rated PG-13, which never screams at me, “This is targeted at a sophisticated audience with high standards!” The action sequences are well done, and the effects are pretty cool; the story is strong, even if at times seemingly convoluted; Routh and Diggs provide a little tasty something for the gals, while Huntington provides affable charm and wit for all. It is, in my estimation, a very good “Why not?” kind of movie for just about any audience.
This film ultimately flopped at the box office, not because it was bad but because it was just okay (or for me, pretty good); it was not marketed properly; and it might have strayed too far from the source material and was not allowed to stand on its own. I assure you it is not terrible. If you are a fan of Brandon Routh or a fan of the quirky, strange, and unusual, I recommend spending a little time with this light-hearted and dark hero/ zombie/ vampire/ werewolf/ action/ horror mashup of a film based loosely on an Italian comic book character, set in an American city.
*Note: If you’ve read the Italian comics series, do not go into this movie expecting the same tone or characters. A cursory bit of research tells me the major differences, which is all the more reason I prefer to recommend the film on its own merits as it is probably not worthwhile to directly compare the film and the comics.
-Heather Elle
