Gareth Edwards’ Monsters is set six years after a space probe returning to Earth with alien samples crash lands in Mexico creating an infected zone where alien creatures roam free. Scoot McNairy plays a photojournalist named Andrew, who has been asked by a wealthy boss to escort his daughter Samantha, played by Whitney Able, back the States from Mexico, just south of the zone. Through a series of events the Andrew and Samantha find they are unable to leave Mexico without crossing through the infected zone. Together they brave the alien monsters in the night as they make their way home and develop a blossoming relationship along the way.
It has been widely publicized that director Gareth Edwards filmed Monsters for a minuscule budget, approximately $500,000, and executed the special effects on his own laptop using Adobe off-the-shelf software. What he has created is an engaging character study with elements of both science fiction and horror. Focusing on Andrew and Samantha, Edwards’ script succeeds in keeping the plot simple and tight – the dilemma is simple; survive long enough to get home. Where it fails is that the script never challenges the actors or audience to experience a wide range of emotions. For the most part, Andrew and Samantha end up being little more than guides through the Mexican landscape, who happen to have fleeting encounters with alien creatures. However, from time to time, there are brief glimpses of character development when they're allowed to swap stories or call home. It’s a flawed balance but for the most part it’s enough to support the story – but, sadly, only that. If the reward had been greater, the movie may have become a true classic instead of an imaginative curio piece.
The film centers around two characters, Andrew and Samantha. The actors that bring these characters to life, Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able, do an admirable job of it. Scoot presents Andrew as a self-centered and somewhat smarmy individual, but reveals a softer, more personable underbelly along his journey. In one scene, he admits to getting paid a hefty amount for photos of a dead child yet receiving nothing for a shot of a smiling, happy kid. It is quite clear that he’d rather be capturing the more cheery of the two, but is intelligent enough (or perhaps realistic enough) to realize the boundaries of his profession. In other scenes, like when he phones his six year old son, he is allowed to let his guard down. Whitney Able’s Samantha has less to do and her arc is more about her escaping her life at home as much as escaping the extraterrestrial threats along the way. She has no trouble exchanging her engagement ring for transportation and struggles to say “I love you” when she finally phones her fiancé about her whereabouts. Both McNairy and Able are charming and, after a few awkward moments at the beginning, carry the film solely on their own. The relationship they foster along the way makes for more of a strong friendship than a budding romance but still feels genuine. In the end, their performances, much like the script, suffer from being just a little more than adequate.
For being executed in the manner Gareth Edwards created them, the special effects in Monsters are spectacular and far exceed those found in a typical SyFy feature – a tremendous accomplishment for software run on a single laptop. For the most part Edwards keeps the creatures in the shadows: a tentacle here, a leg there. They are also made more convincing by excellent sound work. For a movie titled Monsters there are surprisingly little of the title monsters on the screen; however, when they do appear they work by keeping the perspective from the characters’ point of view. This keeps the whole ordeal grounded and realistic. In one key scene their full size and scope are unveiled when lightning, illuminating the dark night sky in the distance, reveals an approaching nearby monster.
Even with its flaws and sometimes obvious shortcomings due to budget, Monsters is an engrossing drama set in a world where aliens have already invaded Earth. The leads are interesting and just charismatic enough to keep the story lively. The special effects are astonishing and are supported by excellent sound design and real-life set designs and locations. While the script could have benefited from a stronger emotional bond, the entire world in which Monsters is set feels authentic and threatening. For those looking for the next Independence Day, Predator or Cloverfield movie, Monsters may not live up to expectations; however, for those looking for a smaller, more intimate look at what life may be like years after initial invasion has occurred, Monsters should provide a few hours of satisfying drama and science fiction delight.
3.5 out of 5
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