Love and Monsters

Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Jessica Henwick, Michael Rooker, Dan Ewing, Ariana Greenblatt, Ellen Hollman, Tre Hale, Pacharo Mzembe, Senie Priti, Amali Golden, Bruce Spence
Directed by: Michael Matthews
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In a world dominated by terrifying monsters, a bumbling man (Dylan O'Brien) decides to set out alone across the dangerous landscape to reunite with his girlfriend (Jessica Henwick).

Review:

Tim: Wow, I didn't expect to have such a fun time with Love and Monsters. Director Michael Matthews' second feature film is filled with humor, heart, action, and suspense. It has a few flaws, but it's mostly a truly effective film that hits above its weight. I had a blast watching this original movie.

I got some serious Zombieland vibes from this film. Both approach their subject matter (zombies, monsters) with complete irreverence and humor. This movie actively tries to put humor and entertainment first and the film is better for it. Matthews' film never takes itself too seriously and it has fun with its subject and characters. This is infectious. It's the type of movie that really wants you to have a fun time. This seems obvious- many movies should try for this. However, very few actually succeed. This film isn't all style- it digs into some substantial topics throughout it's runtime. The style is pretty great, though.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding this film does. It's nothing truly exceptional, but it does a good of establishing this post-apocalyptic world that is overrun with giant monsters. We learn the rules of the game, how to survive. The creatures themselves are rendered very well. The budget wasn't huge here, but the visual effects are impressive. They never detract from the story and they mostly add to it- you're able to comfortably slip into the story and your eyes want to believe what's on screen. For a smaller budget film like this, that is truly impressive work. Oftentimes, the visuals will let a movie like this down- the storytellers' ambition is greater than the practicality of bringing it to life. Make no mistake, a big reason why Love and Monsters succeeds is because the visual effects support and prop up the story.

I liked the cast. Dylan O'Brien really seems like a cool guy and he's perfect for this kind of role. He actually needed to do quite a bit here- this isn't the kind of role you can phone in. Early on, he's cowardly, frozen, naive, absurd. He embraces these scenes exceptionally well. His performance felt authentic- he was never posturing or felt a need to "look" like a hero. He throws himself into these early scenes with gusto. As the film progresses, he becomes more confident, but he's never the traditional hero we'd expect. His character arc is excellent and O'Brien brings that to life. I really do think he's an underrated talent. His comedic timing was impeccable here and he brought energy and humor to the role. O'Brien is another key component and the movie wouldn't have been as good with literally anyone else in the lead.

The supporting cast has a few standouts. I've been a huge fan of Jessica Henwick for a while now. She was by far the best part of Iron Fist and she has real star potential. She's solid here in a role that could have been a bit of a throwaway. I wish her role was more substantial, but she has a few worthwhile moments throughout the film. She certainly makes the movie better. The same can be said for Michael Rooker. Rooker is incredible and he's one of those actors that automatically make the movie significantly better. He's only in the film for a short while, but he makes a lasting impact. I loved his character here and it gave Rooker a chance to be gruff and mean (which he's so good at), but also to show off his softer side. He's a more talented actor than you might expect and I loved getting to see multiple sides of him. I thought Ariana Greenblatt did a good job, too. I've seen her a few times now in very small, forgettable roles. I thought she made a more lasting impression here. Her performance had a few forced moments, but for someone so young, she was truly impressive. She had a few terrific moments throughout her performance, too. Dan Ewing had a few nice scenes, too. Outside of these actors, the cast was fairly large, but most of them pass by without much notice. Most of them were fairly forgettable.

The story was effective and it has a little bit of everything. As you'd expect, this is a movie about both romance and horrifying, deadly monsters. It's really a story about a guy who goes from a liability to someone who can be heroic. The protagonist's journey is vivid and believable. There's twists and turns, unexpected events. There's even a little interlude with a robot that tugs at the heartstrings far more than you would expect. There were worthwhile action scenes and an engaging sense of suspense.

All in all, I had more fun with Love and Monsters than I thought I would. It's an impressive early-career film from a director that has a unique style and voice. In one film, Michael Matthews put himself on my radar and I'm really excited to see what he does next.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Zombieland, The Maze Runner