Film Review: 'Monsters'

My favorite video game of the current generation is Bethesda’s Fallout 3. I could give any number of reasons why, but there’s one that stands above the rest: immersion. Games like this aim to help the player live vicariously through his or her character on the screen. To accomplish this, the world around the player’s character must be convincing.

The same can be said about films like Gareth Edwards’ Monsters. It really isn’t a monster movie in the traditional sense; it’s a character piece. The hook of the film is its ability to make the audience believe that these two characters are actually wandering through a wasteland devastated by the onslaught of giant aliens from outer space. You’ll come for the immersion; you’ll stay for the characters.

Monsters takes place six years after a NASA probe crashed in Mexico, unleashing giant alien monsters upon the country. Scoot McNairy plays Andrew Kaulder, an American journalist trying to get his big break amidst the turmoil. Kaulder’s plans change when his publisher orders him to escort the publisher’s daughter Samantha (Whitney Able) back to the United States. As a result, the two must cross the dreaded Infected Zone, which stands between them and home.

This movie obviously has monsters in it, but like I said before, it’s no monster movie. The pace is a bit slow at times, but there’s always a payoff (especially the ending). The story rides upon the shoulders of McNairy and Able, who do a wonderful job carrying the film. I had heard Monsters described as similar to Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, and although I wouldn’t go that far, that comparison isn’t totally unwarranted. This is a movie about two people, and how they handle the world around them.

Edwards reportedly took his actors to Guatemala and filmed as they traveled, on a very low budget. Monsters is so well-made that I couldn’t tell for a second that the budget was anything less than that of a summer blockbuster. The special effects and tricks used by Edwards were that convincing. I felt like I was actually walking through the Infected Zone right along with Andrew and Samantha.

At the end of the day, McNairy and Able steal the show. I wanted to see some monsters when I began watching this movie, but I ended up caring more about seeing what would come of these two characters. They inject a surprising amount of emotion into their roles, which is impressive considering their sci-fi surroundings. Kaulder started off somewhat unlikable, but this changed as the movie went on. I expected Samantha to be the typical prissy rich girl thrust into an undesirable situation, but Able played her completely differently. Both McNairy and Able deserve commendations for their performances here.

This is an indie film, so its release has been very limited thus far. It is, thankfully, available as a rental on iTunes at the moment. $10 is a bit steep for a rental, but I’d recommend catching Monsters however you can manage to. Take my word for it, the immersion factor presented by Edwards is more than worth the price of admission.