Monsters

Starring: Whitney Able, Scoot McNairy
Directed by: Gareth Edwards
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller
2010

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two Americans (Whitney Able, Scoot McNairy) try to make their way back to the United States while skirting the Infected Zone of northern Mexico, where giant alien monsters have been quarantined.

Review:

Tim: I am extremely impressed with Monsters and what the filmmakers were able to achieve with a far less than $1 million budget. I've read that there were only two crew members and many of the scenes were unscripted. This movie is definitely a very small, independent film, but it feels significantly bigger than that. It is a unique, unforgettable film. This is a monster movie that is mostly about the humans- the "monsters" are important, but certainly are secondary.

The story begins with an explanation that six years ago, a spacecraft returning to Earth with samples to prove alien life existed broke up in the atmosphere. Soon after, new life forms began to appear along the U.S.-Mexico border. The area is bordered off as an Infected Zone. The story follows a photographer (Scoot McNairy) an a tourist (Whitney Able) who are trying to make their way back to the United States. To do so, they have to get dangerously close to the infected area.

The movie focuses mostly on these two characters. In so many monster movies, character development takes a backseat to the special effects. This movie (perhaps due to its budget) focuses almost completely on these two characters, and the alien monsters are really in the background. This works because the characters are interesting, complex, and realistic. You never feel like these are the typical cardboard cutouts that appear in so many movies. Their story alone is interesting and engaging. In some ways, the movie unfolds almost like an adventure film or a travel movie. It's certainly difficult to characterize exactly what kind of movie this is.

Now, the movie isn't only about these two. There are a number of scenes with the alien creatures. The special effects are a bit weak, but considering the budget of this film, they are pretty astounding. I never felt like the effects detracted from the film at all. Sure, with a bigger budget, the creatures would have looked even more amazing, but they are still impressive as-is. I loved how the creatures were portrayed in this film. The scene at the gas station is one of the most powerful, moving, memorable scenes I've watched in a long time.

I enjoyed watching Monsters because it felt refreshingly unique. It is a new twist on a familiar genre. The movie is unlike anything else that's happening right now- it is a character-focused alien/monster movie. I suppose you could make some comparisons to District 9, but this film does enough to differentiate itself. In addition, the ending is pretty spectacular. It is a controversial, debate-inducing conclusion that leaves the film on a high note.

Monsters would have been better with a slightly bigger budget and a little tighter script. However, it's amazing what was achieved considering the limitations of the cast and crew. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. If you go into this film expecting your typical alien movie, you'll probably be disappointed. On the other hand, approaching this with an open mind will allow you to see the uniqueness of this film. I very much enjoyed it. And how about that ending?

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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