‘Dust Bunny’ Review: A Visually Stunning & Thrilling Monster Movie

When a little girl discovers a terrifying monster living under her floorboards, she takes an unusual approach to protect her loved ones: she hires a professional hitman. Luckily, a skilled assassin has just moved in next door. This clever idea forms the basis of Dust Bunny, the impressive first feature film from Bryan Fuller, known for his work on Heroes and American Gods. Staying true to his style, Fuller crafts a dark and visually stunning fairytale, filled with great performances and exciting action, all leading to a wildly unpredictable ending.

On a clear night in New City, a dust bunny drifts into a young girl’s open window and lands under her bed. Ten-year-old Aurora (Sophie Sloan) is frightened when the dust ball seems to transform into a scary rabbit shape, and she hears a growl as the floor shakes. She screams for her parents (Line Kruse, Caspar Phillipson), who dismiss her fears, telling her it’s just her imagination and to go back to sleep. They consistently disregard her pleas to stay off the floor.

Concerned for her safety, Aurora chooses to sleep on her fire escape. She’s distracted by a firefly that flits down to the street and lands on a man just as he’s going into the building. This man, a mysterious new neighbor (played by Mads Mikkelsen), moves into apartment 5B, which is close to Aurora’s. The next day, Aurora observes her neighbor checking his mail, and later that night, she secretly follows him.

I was following Aurora as she moved through the backstreets and climbed onto rooftops, heading towards Chinatown. I noticed 5B constantly looking around, like he felt someone was watching him – and he was right! These dragon dancers, celebrating nearby, suddenly turned on him with fireworks and explosives. It was terrifying, but amazing to watch. 5B handled them so easily, taking them down like the monsters I knew they were. In that moment, I knew I’d finally found the person who could help me.

I was completely blown away by the visuals in Dust Bunny – they’re seriously stunning! The whole movie is drenched in these incredible red and green tones, and the production design is just so smart. The main setting, Aurora’s apartment, feels like it’s straight out of the Victorian era, with these long hallways and beautiful archways. There’s this amazing elevator shaft with winding stairs that they film from directly above, doing a slow 360-degree shot – it’s mesmerizing! The director, Fuller, and the cinematographer, Nicole Hirsch Whitaker, keep using this tilting camera technique to really draw your eye to what’s important. It’s especially effective during the action sequences – the fights and shootouts look fantastic as characters scramble along the walls. They also use wide-angle lenses that create this really unique effect – the rooms feel huge and open, but there’s this lurking feeling in the background, like something scary is about to happen. It’s almost like watching a shark swim towards you – you see those ripples in the water and just know something’s coming.

Roadside Attractions

Fuller skillfully blends computer-generated imagery and practical puppetry, building suspense by gradually revealing glimpses of the creature. We see hints – a flash of teeth, a claw – and Aurora’s fear confirms it’s something massive, a giant bunny. The reveal is slow and deliberate, and the sound design expertly heightens the tension, creating a feeling of dread, like hearing a huge beast right on the other side of a door. It makes you want to look, but your instinct is to stay safe.

The mystery surrounding Dust Bunny becomes more complex as 5B slowly starts to understand Aurora. The way she gets him to help is funny, showcasing the writer’s cleverness. However, the central question remains: is everything happening in Aurora’s imagination, a creation of a frightened child? 5B begins to believe this is the only logical explanation for the dangerous situation. Could Aurora be creating a monster to protect herself from a past trauma? If Aurora is truly in danger, those threatening her must be real people. What makes her unique, and why would anyone want to hurt her? 5B tries to use logic to understand a situation that’s beyond his grasp as an adult.

While the special effects are impressive, the heart of the film lies in its well-developed characters and the relationships between them. The story starts with a bit of mystery, drawing the audience in as Aurora begins to trust 5B to keep her safe. The film beautifully illustrates a child’s need for care, guidance, and stability. 5B, despite his own doubts, steps up to become the father figure Aurora desperately needs, and she, in turn, brings a sense of completeness to his life he never expected. Their interactions are charming, like when he struggles with her name and she gently corrects him, even though they barely know each other. 5B was originally built for destruction, but Aurora embodies the innocence he feels compelled to protect, both from people and potentially other threats. Mads Mikkelsen and Caroline Sloane, who previously worked together on Fuller’s Hannibal, share a wonderful on-screen connection.

Dust Bunny is full of unexpected turns. While some of the side characters are crucial to major plot twists, they aren’t fully developed and feel a bit simplistic – almost like convenient solutions to a complex story. However, the film is so entertaining that these small issues are easily overlooked. It’s easily the most compelling and unusual bunny-themed film since Donnie Darko, which is saying a lot!

Dust Bunny is a film produced by Thunder Road Films and Living Dead Guy Productions. It will be in theaters December 12th, distributed by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.

2025-12-12 23:48

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