DUST BUNNY

Dust Bunny feels like it could have been an all time cult classic if it were released 35+ years ago. It feels like a fun amalgamation of different genres and nods to familiar films without even feeling too borrowed or broken. It illicit the same kind of smile and laughter I got when rewatching pre teen horror films like The Monster Squad or Fright Night over the last few years, but the stark difference here being though that there's a little less scare and a lot more action - very much in the same vein as a Jason Bourne or John Wick film.

In Dust Bunny, writer and director Brian Fuller frames a childhood nightmare through a more mature lens, creating a film that speaks to adults as much as it does to older kids. The story centers on eight-year-old Aurora (Sophie Sloan), who lives in a city that blends visual influences from New York, London, and Shanghai. She becomes convinced that a creature lurks beneath the floorboards of her bedroom—and from the very first scene, the audience learns she’s not imagining things. A real, malevolent dust bunny has taken shape, growing larger… and hungrier.

As Aurora's nightmare at home starts to feel bigger and bigger, she begins following her Intriguing Neighbor (yes, that's the characters name) played wonderfully by Mads Mikkelsen and sees him kill 'monsters' after chasing him to Chinatown. The introduction to his character and the set piece that follows is absolutely spectacular and I would have LOVED to have seen this on a large format premium screen because even at home, the colors and action popped off and looked phenomenal.

After laying waste to 'the monsters' in Chinatown, Aurora makes Neighbor an offer to Neighbor and tries to hire him for the job of killing the monster under her bed. Without a parent in sight, Mikkelsen's Neighbor seems confused at the circumstances little Aurora finds herself in yet airs on the side of caution due to the danger of his profession. At times the film feels like it could veer into an adventure science-fiction version of Luc Besson's The Professional but instead opts to never make Aurora into the student type - she remains the scared and shy mini damsel in distress, who now seemingly is under the watch of the reluctant Mikkelsen. It's a great dynamic to watch as they bounce off each other incredibly well, weaving between bratty to vulnerable to protective.

There feels like there could be a lot of depth to this premise if you wanted to deep dive into it from a different lense, ala what it's like living in the foster system or the psychosis of an abandoned child but Fuller never quite veers too much into the overthink, and just let's this 90ish minute runtime really be light. For all the violence and bloodshed happening in this 'Apartment 5A', the film always keeps a fun and whimsical vibe to it and makes for a really enjoyable watch.

I never had the pleasure of watching writer-director Brian Fuller's Hannibal over a decade ago, but know that people hold it in very high regard. But the intrigue I had going into Dust Bunny was pretty high solely in part thanks to this touted reunion between Fuller and his Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen. I quickly realized that this version of Mads is something I have been yearning to see on the screen for a while. Tough, mean, carrying that grizzled pissed off look on his face - a permanent 5 o'clock shadow to say the least. The action set pieces and choreography he puts himself through are an absolute knockout and I don't recall any work of his like this where we see him take some hard bumps and bruises and although I can imagine the stunt team did a fantastic job splicing in and out of cuts, Mikkelsen seemingly partakes in a lot of action. It feels very John Wick at times - an obvious and wise attachment here by Lionsgate and Entertainment One, both of whom distributed the Wick series.

The film is also a fantastic reminder that Mikkelsen can have chemistry with anyone and anything and is truly one of the best actors today. There are several films of his I do not like, most recently being Another Round, but he is never the problem. He truly shines in whatever project he is in. His back and forth with Sophie Sloan is both endearing yet sometimes cruel, as his disbelief of her claims of a monster are their central conflict through most of the movie.

Filled with some clever twists and turns, and well executed action peppered in throughout, Dust Bunny was an absolute surprise and delight and it's no surprise to me why it was such a big hit during Midnight Madness during this year's Toronto International Film Festival.  Fuller and Co. deserve their flowers and I'd love to see this gain some traction and turn into a small hit franchise where we see the world of Aurora, her Neighbour and 'imaginary monsters' continue to grow.