Monsters review

Samantha Wynden: Doesn't that kind of bother you, that you need something bad to happen to profit from it? 
Andrew Kaulder: You mean, like a doctor? 

Director: Gareth Edwards
(2010)

Up until I saw Gareth Edwards’ Monsters, I was convinced that low budget films and excessive CGI don’t mix. How could it, CGI isn’t cheap, and the money could be spent in other, more needed areas. But Monsters is a different breed of film, seamlessly combining personal drama and conflict with imaginative science fiction.

Set 6 years into the future, a photojournalist (Scoot McNairy) is tasked with escorting his bosses’ daughter (Whitney Able) from Mexico back to the United States. This rather simple sounding task is made immensely challenging due to the infected zone, a large chunk of northern Mexico that harbours a mysterious alien race. Monsters is very much a drama film at its core, but frequently strays into thriller territory. The monsters themselves are used very sparingly, ratcheting up the tension when they do arrive.

Through grounded characters and a solid script, we truly get a sense of what it’s like to live in a world where the government struggles to contain a dangerous foreign entity. The performances feel real, partially because some of them are, most of the cast are locals or extras. While our 2 leads are solid, Andrew is overly cynical and Sam occasionally has her performance descend into being nothing more than a pretty face. They do become fleshed out sufficiently, and we delve into their relationships and past experiences. Neither of them possesses much of a character arc, but the conversations they hold inject enough intrigue to their journey.

Seeing the effect that the alien invasion had on people and communities is quite easily the finest thing about Monsters. The smoking skylines and ruined hotels, it’s clear this part of the world has gone through hell, and we get to witness the glorious aftermath. It’s a fine example of visual storytelling. Throughout the film there are signs of struggle and encounters, painting another layer onto the conflict. Monster carcasses litter the countryside, ships have been flung into trees by the aliens and plane fuselages litter the river bank. What’s even more impressive is the tiny budget that Gareth Edwards managed to create this world with. The entire production is said to have come in at around 800,000 dollars, loose change to many studio executives in this day and age. The CGI was also created by Edwards, and while it creates an evocative foreboding atmosphere, it looks a little cheap at times. Hardly a fair complaint though, given the microscopic budget and fantastic end result.

While centred initially on the affects the aliens have caused both the USA and Mexico, things take a sharp shift into the land of that of a clear as day allegory. The infected zone stretches from northern Mexico right up to the US border, their method of choice for keeping the ‘illegal aliens’ out is by erecting a massive wall. It’s obvious that this is an extended metaphor for America’s immigration policies, but thankfully this issue becomes less prominent as the film develops and more focus is placed on character interaction and unsettling tension. All this is aided by some stunning cinematography, capturing the Mexican wilderness with a tender beauty. The sunsets are glorious and the forests magnificent, Edwards’s proficient shooting has a profound effect on both our protagonists and us as an audience. Monsters possesses a style that blends the personal perspective of handheld filming with more traditional shooting; a close example being 2009’s The Hurt Locker. This brings the audience along with the characters, but without stifling them by going with a first person perspective such as in The Blair Witch Project.

By its finish, Monsters has taken the audience on an atmospheric, personal journey. While heavily marketed as an action film, we’re given little in the way of alien encounters, and Monsters is all the better for it.

8