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What We Do in the Shadows

What We Do in the Shadows

2014

R

Director

Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi

Runtime

86 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Vampire housemates try to cope with the complexities of modern life and show a newly turned hipster some of the perks of being undead.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.5/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film focuses on a male-dominated domestic sphere. It avoids explicit same-sex intimacy or non-cisnormative identities, though it successfully sidesteps harmful predatory stereotypes common in horror.

Gender Representation

Fair

The narrative deconstructs masculine hierarchies by portraying powerful vampires as bickering, chore-obsessed housemates. However, the core ensemble lacks significant female agency.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The ensemble is primarily composed of characters of European descent. This homogeneity adheres to traditional Gothic tropes rather than utilizing diverse casting within the household.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The film excels by treating supernatural rituals and ancient traditions with comedic irreverence. It uses moral relativism to disrupt conventional notions of good versus evil.

Disability Representation

Minimal

The film does not feature prominent characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Strengths

  • Subverts traditional masculine hierarchies by portraying powerful vampires as incompetent, domestic housemates.
  • Uses moral relativism to transform traditionally monstrous figures into sympathetic, mundane individuals.
  • Challenges established social orders through a postmodern, irreverent comedic lens.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks significant racial and ethnic diversity within the primary ensemble.
  • Features a lack of prominent LGBTQ+ characters and non-cisnormative identities.
  • Provides limited female agency within the core group of protagonists.

AI Analysis

What We Do in the Shadows is a postmodern deconstruction of the vampire genre. It succeeds by dismantling the 'macho' archetype, replacing stoic predators with socially inept, domestic housemates. This subversion of traditional power dynamics provides a progressive narrative impact despite demographic limitations. While the film lacks significant racial and LGBTQ+ visibility, it uses its comedic tone to challenge established social orders and institutions. The creative direction prioritizes situational ethics and secularism over traditional reverence for the supernatural. Ultimately, the film's diversity is found in its structural subversion rather than its casting. It trades demographic breadth for a deep critique of genre-standard hierarchies.

How are these scores produced? →

Featured in

  • Best Religious & Cultural Representation in Film

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Diversity score: 3.8 out of 10

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