I hadn’t heard of Dust Bunny until it popped up under “recommended for you”. Since every streaming service I have thinks I have terrible taste, those suggestions are pretty hit or miss. However, Dust Bunny is by Brian Fuller and stars Mads Mikkelsen and Sigourney Weaver. That’s enough creative star power for me to give this action-horror movie a fair shot.

• Directed by: Bryan Fuller
• Written by: Bryan Fuller
• Starring: Mads Mikkelsen. Sophie Sloan. Sheila Atim

If you don’t know Brian Fuller, this may be a jarring introduction to his specific point of view. He has visual flair and a dark whimsy best displayed in the charming Pushing Daises, and the morbidly romantic Hannibal.

Dust Bunny has one of the more unique premises I’ve come across: a young girl hires an assassin to kill the monster under her bed. Even without all the top talent this would have caught my eye.

Good Use of Character

Early on, Dust Bunny excels at putting us in both the POV of a frightened child looking for a hero, and worn-down assassin just trying to survive. After the monster under Aurora’s bed, the titular Dust Bunny, gets Aurora’s family, she turns to the nameless hitman, “5B” (his apartment number) for help.  Since he believes her parents were killed by his rivals, he agrees to protect her.

The moves at a deliberate pace. Not because it needs to stretch out its concept, but because it wants us to understand the characters and the world. Aurora is a smart and strategic kid. She does her research, procures her resources, and approaches things strategically.  She’s also not squeamish around bodies, probably since she has a monster that’s been eating people for a while.  5B, the killer, is pragmatic and grounded.  His guilt over dragging her into his world starts most of his actions. But they develop a genuine bond and affection as they spend more time getting to know each other’s world.

It’s a delightful world to spend time in. The bad things are there, but we don’t linger on them. It’s enough to know that they exist.

A Modern Fairy Tale

Dust Bunny is a fairy tale, which makes it about 75% metaphor and symbolism.  It’s very well done, with some second-half reveals that solidify the themes. Like all good fairy tales, it started with a wish. A small girl in a bad situation wished for a way out. That wish grew out of control, like so many things do. Self-preservation can be a dangerous thing when incorrectly applied. Same with guilt.

Dust Bunny is about trauma.  Trauma doesn’t recognize friend from foe. It doesn’t make logical decisions. What it does have, are rules that it puts in place to protect itself.  Most people will not understand or believe until they witness it or experience it firsthand. By the time they do, it will be too late. The damage will be done.

Theme

I agree with a lot of what Fuller has to say here. You can’t always escape or defeat your monsters. Some of them you must learn to live with.  Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to keep your monsters from harming other people.

It’s a tough lesson made softer by the beautiful visuals. Because the world Fuller establishes is so stylistically unique from our own, it’s easy to imagine the fantastic and improbable things occurring in it.

There are so many stand-out visual moments, but the dragon fight establishes the tone early on.  It shows the blend of reality and fantasy perfectly. 5B fights assassins in a Chinese dragon costume as fireworks explode around him. All Aurora sees is her hero slaying a mythical dragon.

Even when she discovers the truth of the fight, her faith in 5B never wavers. When he has doubt over life and what the right direction is, Aurora is certain he will do the right thing.  It’s an unconditional faith and support he’s never had.  His arc focuses on the idea that sometimes killing someone else’s monster can help you face your own.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for an easy watch that’s big on whimsy and character, while being low on scares, Dust Bunny might fit the bill.  It’s delightful and endearing. If you’re looking for something with real teeth, this might leave you wanting more.

Dust Bunny is available on streaming.