Directed by Gareth Edwards
Starring Scoot MacNairy and Whitney Able
A curious film this; on the surface it’s a regular sci-fi creature flick and one that’s bound to draw comparisons with other recent examples, but it has a very different mode of operation to that of its contemporaries. Thus, it is one of those films that is hard to make an immediate judgment on and it fairs better in the mind when you have taken a little time to mull it over.
An opening preamble tells us that six years ago NASA, having discovered evidence of extra terrestrial life, launched a probe to collect samples. Upon re-entry it broke up over Mexico and soon new alien life forms began to appear. As a result half the country has become a quarantined “Infected Zone” as the U.S and Mexican militaries battle to contain ‘the creatures’.
Our story follows Andrew (McNairy), a war photographer and journalist whose dream is to get the first published close up photograph of one of the aforementioned beings. That is, until he is instructed to scrap his plans and personally escort his boss’s daughter, Sarah (Able), safely back home from South America to the United States border. Things don’t go according to plan however, and the pair end up being forced to make their way homeward through the Infected Zone.
What’s unusual here is that the sci-fi setting really only serves as a backdrop to the main story which concerns the relationship that develops between the two protagonists. This approach has its pros and cons; as a human story it works superbly well and the chemistry between the pair is perfectly believable (they are a couple in real life) with each giving commendable conviction to their character. Where it doesn’t work so well is with the unavoidable clash between monster science fiction and well acted romance. Director Gareth Edwards commented that he wanted to tell a story set after the time most monster movies take place. In other words, when the running and screaming has stopped and people are getting back on with their lives. It’s a good idea but the problem is that the few scenes that do feature monsters (giant octopus type things) are filmed in the vein of Cloverfield; kitted out with grainy night vision, loud air assault strikes and military radio speak. This does give the false impression that something a lot more dramatic is yet to come.
However that’s really the only negative. Take this film at face value and it rewards in spades. Most of the 94 minute running time comprises of a breathtaking visual tour of South and Central America with actual locations taking in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico. Visually it really is stunning and an absolute marvel considering it was made on a budget of not much more than £15,000. While the special effects are impressively achieved on standard home software (Edwards was previously an effects wiz at the BBC) it’s the decision to shoot in such epic locations that is ultimately impressive. Add in a beautifully ambient and perfectly suited score by electronic maestro John Hopkins (the new Vangelis?) and you have a fine piece of work that lingers long in the memory.
While it is currently being billed as “This year’s District 9” be aware that that is a lazy generalisation and you shouldn’t pay too much heed to it. I can see how the brief synopsis of each could lead to that comparison but in reality there is little similarity and both will stand alone quite comfortably. Monsters is definitely worth checking out, just don’t take the name too literally.