What We Do in the Shadows (2014) Horror Movie Poster

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

MovieComedy Horror Supernatural Horror

Released: June 19, 2014

Runtime: 85 min

R

New Zealand

English

A documentary crew follows four vampires who share a flat in Wellington, New Zealand: the fussy Viago, the former tyrant Vladislav, the "young rebel" Deacon, and the 8,000-year-old Petyr, who lives in the basement. They argue about chores, struggle to get into nightclubs and deal with werewolves. Written and directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, who also star, What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary based on their 2005 short film. It inspired a hit TV series and the spin-off Wellington Paranormal. It is one of the most loved horror comedies ever made, famous for its deadpan jokes and quotable lines.

8.3/10

Horror Jungle Rating

IMDb

7.6/10

IMDb Rating

96%

Rotten Tomatoes

Watch Trailer Where to Watch

QUICK HORROR SNAPSHOT

Creepiness & Uncanny

5/10

Monster / Killer Threat

4/10

Atmosphere & Dread

4/10

Re-watch Value

10/10

Gore & Violence

6/10

Jump Scares

3/10

Psychological Terror

1/10

Overall Scare Factor

2/10

Tension & Suspense

3/10

Official Trailer

Where to watch

Updated November 12, 2026

Apple TV

Apple TVAU · UK · US

Rent/Buy

NetflixAU

Available

Amazon Prime Video

Amazon Prime VideoUK

Rent/Buy

Shudder

ShudderUK

Available

SHOULD YOU WATCH IT?

Worth Watching?One of the funniest horror comedies ever made.

Yes

Watch Alone?Or with friends, for the laughs.

Yes

Watch in the Dark?It is fun at any time.

Yes

Good for Date Night?A perfect, light-hearted choice.

Yes

Watch With Parents?Some sexual humour and bloody gags.

Maybe

Beginner Friendly?Very funny and barely scary.

Yes

Family Friendly?Rated R for language, bloody violence and sexual material.

No

Slow Burn?The jokes start right away.

No

Headphones Recommended?Some lines are quiet and full of accents.

Maybe

18+

Age RecommendationContains strong horror content, violence, and disturbing themes.

16+

Spoiler Free Review

Viago (Taika Waititi) is a polite 379-year-old dandy who wants everyone to put down newspaper before biting someone. Vladislav (Jemaine Clement) is a former tyrant haunted by "the Beast". Deacon (Jonathan Brugh) is a 183-year-old "bad boy" who loves knitting. Their lives are thrown into chaos when Petyr turns a young man, Nick, into a vampire.

The film's genius is treating ordinary flatmate problems as vampire problems. Who left the bloody dishes? How do you get into a nightclub without being invited? The deadpan documentary style makes every joke land.

Waititi, Clement and Brugh are hilarious, and Rhys Darby nearly steals the film as the leader of a polite pack of werewolves ("We're werewolves, not swearwolves").

It is light on scares, and the story is loose. But What We Do in the Shadows is one of the funniest horror films ever made.

What Works

Constantly funny, quotable dialogue.

A brilliant mockumentary style.

Lovable vampire characters.

Rhys Darby's hilarious werewolves.

What Doesn't Work

Not scary at all.

A loose, episodic story.

Some jokes rely on gore that may put off some viewers.

FINAL VERDICT:

What We Do in the Shadows is a hilarious, endlessly rewatchable vampire comedy. Watch it with friends, and remember: werewolves, not swearwolves.

Be Careful, Spoilers Ahead

Plot Summary (Spoilers)

A documentary crew follows four vampire flatmates in Wellington: Viago, a 17th-century dandy who came to New Zealand chasing his lost love, Katherine; Vladislav, a 12th-century tyrant haunted by his nemesis "the Beast"; Deacon, a 19th-century rebel; and Petyr, an ancient, animal-like vampire who lives in the basement.

Deacon's human servant, Jackie, cleans up after them and wants to become a vampire. She lures two victims to the flat, including her ex-boyfriend Nick. Nick escapes, but Petyr catches him and turns him into a vampire.

Two months later, the vampires accept Nick and befriend his human friend Stu, who shows them modern technology. Viago finds Katherine, now a 96-year-old widow. Nick enjoys his new popularity but keeps telling people he is a vampire. A vampire hunter breaks into the flat and kills Petyr with sunlight. The vampires blame Nick and banish him.

At the annual Unholy Masquerade, Vladislav meets "the Beast", who turns out to be his ex-girlfriend, Pauline. The guests discover Stu is human and try to eat him. The group escapes, only to run into a pack of werewolves under the full moon, and Stu is mauled.

Later, Nick returns with Stu, who survived and is now a werewolf. The werewolves and vampires become friends, and Viago reunites with Katherine and turns her into a vampire.

Ending Explained

Does Stu die? No. He survives the werewolf attack and becomes a werewolf himself.

What happens to Viago and Katherine? They rekindle their romance, and he turns her into a vampire.

Who is "the Beast"? Vladislav's ex-girlfriend, Pauline. In the credits, they get back together.

What happens to Jackie? Nick turns her into a vampire, and her husband becomes her servant.

What is the post-credits scene? Deacon tries to hypnotise the audience into forgetting the whole film.

Hidden Meaning & Symbolism

Flatmates: Vampire life as a parody of shared-house problems.
Loneliness: Even immortals want friendship and love.
Outsiders: Vampires and werewolves learn to accept each other.
Masculinity: The vampires' "cool" image is constantly undercut.

Scariest Moments

1

The Artery: Viago accidentally bites a victim's artery and sprays blood everywhere.

2

Petyr's Basement: Nick wanders into the basement and meets Petyr.

3

The Masquerade: The undead guests turn on Stu.

4

The Werewolves: The pack transforms under the full moon.

Parents Guide / Trigger Warnings

Graphic Gore

Moderate

Bloody, comic gore, including spraying blood.

Sexual Content

Moderate

Strong innuendo and a brief scene of a vampire with three women.

Jump Scares

Mild

A few sudden moments.

Flashing Lights

Mild

Some club lights.

Substance Abuse

Mild

Social drinking in bars.

Nudity

Mild

A naked man, pixelated.

Animal Death

None

No animal deaths.

Child Death / Peril

None

No children are in danger.

Suicide / Self Harm

None

No suicide or self-harm.

Trigger Warning Notes:

Contains comic gore, sexual humour, brief nudity and strong language.

Trivia

It is based on Waititi and Clement's 2005 short film What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires.
It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014.
Clement based Vladislav on Gary Oldman's Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).
Waititi based his performance as Viago on his own mother.
It inspired an American TV series and the New Zealand spin-off Wellington Paranormal.
It was made for $1.6 million and grossed $7.3 million.

FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is What We Do in the Shadows a real documentary?

No. It is a mockumentary, a comedy made to look like a documentary.

Is the film connected to the TV series?

Yes. The TV series is based on the film, with new characters set in Staten Island.

Who directed What We Do in the Shadows?

Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, who also star.

Does Stu die?

No. He survives and becomes a werewolf.

Who is "the Beast"?

Vladislav's ex-girlfriend, Pauline.

Is What We Do in the Shadows scary?

No. It is a comedy with comic gore.

Is it suitable for teenagers?

Common Sense Media recommends it for ages 16 and up.

What is Wellington Paranormal?

A spin-off TV series about the two police officers from the film.

Where can I watch What We Do in the Shadows?

It streams on Shudder in the UK and Netflix in Australia, and can be rented on Apple TV.

Movie Information

Original Title

What We Do in the Shadows

Release Date

June 19, 2014

Runtime

85 min

Country

New Zealand

Language

English

Status

Released

Director

Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi

Writer

Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi

Main Cast

Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brugh, Ben Fransham, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stu Rutherford, Jackie van Beek, Rhys Darby

Production Company

Unison Films, Defender Films, New Zealand Film Commission

Distributor

Madman Entertainment

IMDb Page