While preparing dinner, a blonde female diverts her attention towards a red splatter, as she investigates, a drop of blood trickles down from the ceiling onto her cheek, sending her running upstairs.

Promoted as a film with a comedic take on a monster packed detective mystery, “Dylan Dog: Dead of Night” seemed promising, but with its combination of dry dialogue, cheap looking costumes, and variety of monster movie cliches, the film was a letdown.

Basing your first live action movie on the most widely sold comic book series in Italy, Dylan Dog created by Tiziano Sclavi, seemed like a genius idea, but director Kevin Monroe, most recognized for his work on the fourth installment of 2007’s “TMNT,” should really stick to animation.

“Dylan Dog: Dead of Night” features former Clark Kent, Brandon Routh, as Dylan Dog, a retired detective to the undead. Playing his zombie assistant Marcus, is Sam Huntington, currently starring in Sci Fi’s television series “Being Human,” and rounding out the main cast are Anita Briem as Elizabeth Ryan, and Taye Diggs as Vargas, a devious vampire.

After the death of his friend Marcus, Dylan Dog, a retired private investigator specializing in werewolves, vampires, and zombies, accepts his first case involving a murdered father and stolen artifact. His client Elizabeth claims it was a werewolf, so now it’s Dylan’s job to find out why, before it’s too late.

While the film fails to live up to its potential, “Dylan Dog: Dead of Night” is watchable due to its enjoyable mystery, but overall it’s a disappointment that’s not worth a trip to the movies for.