In addition to that music video, I can’t help but be reminded of Richard A. Hamilton’s graphic novel Fearbook Club after rewatching DreamWorks Fright Krewe for the umteenth time. That’s mostly because the image of kids tackling nasty urban legends around New Orleans is a concept I really dig. And when the lore is done right, I’m returning to it often just to see what else I can pick up on when considering the Vodun religion is quite rich in its imagery and number of loas said to exist!
Creators Eli Roth and James Frey pitched a solid idea which includes explaining the legends and lore which exist around this city. But what’s more important is in how the teens, this series main protagonists, should learn to get along. When there’s loup garous, vampires, ghosts, and other sordid creatures prowling about, these kids better get their act together! While we don’t see much about their supernatural war with humanity, and that’s because peace was established long ago. But as for their pact with certain individuals from this mortal world, it’s tumultuous at best.
And when Mayor Richard Furst is up to no good, this particular plot makes for a solid foundation for this series to build upon. Soleil Le Claire (voiced by Sydney Mikayla) and her friends will eventually come head to head with him. But in the meantime, season one is more about how she has to learn how to use her gift to defeat an ancient evil she accidentally unleashed one night while giving a tour. The loas aren’t happy, and they want her to send it back to whence it came.
Each episode helps her tune into her newfound abilities, and along with her friends who’ve been gifted with equal power, they’ll one day be able to attack the main nasty head on! What’s cool about Fright Krewe is in how they make use of their skills. They don’t all have the powers of Superman. Here, we meet Missy Dalisay (Grace Lu) being given the strength of Oguan, Stanley Rodriguez-Jones (Chester Rushing) with the knowledge of the seer Ayezan, Will Maybe Satchel (Tim Johnson Jr.) the ability to walk in the world of the dead like Maman Brigitte does, and John Patterson (Terrence Little Gardenhigh) an emissary similar to Papa Legba.
To go in depth about what each of these loas represents is an article in itself, and as for what they impart to these teens is just a sampling of their abilities. For Soleil, she mostly embodies Ayida-Weddo’s role as a leader, rather than to go in fighting with her fists on fire.
But as these youths go from one adventure to another, they’re facing tough challenges not only from within the group but also outside. Perhaps the most poignant concerns of how Stanley has to learn he died while out in the swamps for all the wrong reasons, because of being associated with the right Loas. But what’s presented must let fate run its course. There are some emotional moments which elevates this cartoon from being a for kids product.
While this group is nowhere ready to face the demon Belial (Jacques Colimon) head-on, what they learn may help later. This creature feasts on fear so he can grow in power. But there’s the Mayor who feels making a bargain with this devil is important. As for why that is, the last three episodes explain it all, and while what’s revealed doesn’t redeem him, I’m still wondering how this series will bring various subplots to a close. Hopefully, the creators have plans to wrap the story up by season two or three. I can’t see it being dragged on for longer, especially when considering DreamWorks never announced they’d complete the story in Cleopatra in Space. To see any series through to the end depends on viewership, and it’s best to plan ahead.
4 Stars out of 5
Fright Krewe Promotional Trailer
