Monsters (2010)
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Critics Consensus: It doesn't quite live up to its intriguing premise, but Monsters is a surprising blend of alien-invasion tropes, political themes, and relationship drama.
Critics Consensus: It doesn't quite live up to its intriguing premise, but Monsters is a surprising blend of alien-invasion tropes, political themes, and relationship drama.
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Movie Info
Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A probe was launched to collect samples, but crashed upon re-entry over Central America. Soon after, new life forms began to appear and grow. In an effort to stem the destruction that resulted, half of Mexico was quarantined as an INFECTED ZONE. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain the massive creatures... Our story begins when a jaded US journalist (McNairy) begrudgingly agrees to … More
- Rating:
- R (for language)
- Genre:
- Drama , Horror , Romance , Art House & International , Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Directed By:
- Gareth Edwards
- Written By:
- Gareth Edwards
- In Theaters:
- Oct 29, 2010 Limited
- On DVD:
- Feb 1, 2011
- US Box Office:
- $0.2M
- Runtime:
Cast
-
Scoot McNairy
as Andrew Kaulder -
Whitney Able
as Sam Wynden
Related News & Features
-
Gareth Edwards Producing More Monsters
– ScreenRant
-
Bradley Cooper Rumored for Here There Be Monsters
– New York Magazine/Vulture
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LoginCritic Reviews for Monsters
All Critics (148) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (105) | Rotten (42) | DVD (8)
A better-than-average debut by a filmmaker who merits watching. Let's hope that he keeps some of his indie spirit when Hollywood comes calling.
The most interesting thing here is the budget.
Too much of Monsters simply reminds you of other, better movies...
Monsters is part immigration parable, part war allegory with a dose of It Happened One Night and The African Queen tossed in.
A seamless blending of romance, road movie and monster flick.
A sharp little low-fi monster movie operating from a tantalizing premise.
This low-budget and character-driven drama should be applauded for its realistic portrait of a world slowly coming to grips with an alien invasion.
If you want to make your giant monster movie more of a character study, more power to you, but then the pressure's on to create some truly captivating characters.
Strikingly beautiful effects and atmosphere mixed with some really great direction make for a very well done film.
Monsters asks greater questions of its audience than the usual special effects yawn-fests.
This unforgettable debut marks Edwards out as a huge talent and one who'll likely find himself showered with Hollywood cash to support future endeavours.
Monsters looks and feels like a major studio film, and Edwards is clearly a talent to watch.
An astonishing achievement for first-time British feature director Gareth Edwards.
It's a journey that involves plenty of hazards, none more dire than the prospect of romantic scenes between two actors with zero chemistry.
McNairy and Able are stick figures who spend all their screen time spouting risible platitudes about how America sure looks different when you see it from the other side of a wall.
Expect cool weird things from [Edwards] in the future.
Monsters virtually redefines guerilla filmmaking for our technologically attuned generation, and despite its many flaws, it is an enticing career-maker for director Edwards.
... give Edwards props for making the effort, and for so effectively creating a convincing portrait of the world under siege from a slow, evolutionary invasion.
While the plot appears to meander, the impact is undeniable.
A road movie, a romantic drama, a post-apocalyptic monster thriller, and more.
Next to 'Catfish,' 'Monsters' is probably the most anti-climatic ending of the year.
A script not even a mother could love
The movie itself is pretty slow moving and the giant alien monsters are disappointing because they appear on the screen so briefly. The really impressive thing about it is how little it cost to make.
Audience Reviews for Monsters
If you want to see what can be accomplished with some dedication, a low budget and just a decent idea. Here you go! A solid sci fi picture.
MoreSuper Reviewer
An ambitious, audacious first feature by Gareth Edwards, who is undoubtedly a resourceful and savvy filmmakers. Unfortunately, its heavy-handed political allegory (more Elysium than District 9) stilted acting, and low-budget effects badly damage what would have otherwise been an immersive, imaginative world.
MoreSuper Reviewer
I think the real "scary" thing is the misleading title and premise of the movie. At its core "Monsters" is a very human, relationship driven romance and survival/suspense flick last.
The real beauty lies in the synergy of the film's writing as the characters unravel seamlessly with the mysteries and effects surrounding the extraterrestrial presence that lurks within central America.
It's a great movie for many reasons but is more than often crippled by the same fact, it's very character driven. So if you're not interested in the protagonists or convinced by the romantic chemistry between Mcnairy and Able you'll begin to feel the toll of a meandering plot. Everything starts to slow down and pacing issues quickly become apparent.
Nevertheless I can't help but appreciate the themes and character resolutions that come full circle during the films climatic end. Who are the real 'Monsters" indeed :]
Super Reviewer
A photo journalist is grudgingly charged with escorting his boss' daughter through the "infected zone" of central America which has become home for a race of huge alien creatures. Although the DVD cover screeches "THRILLING" and "ACTION PACKED", anyone misguided enough to be hoping for Cloverfield 2 will be mightily disappointed. Monsters is more a road movie that just happens to feature creatures from outer space and reminded me more of a cross between The African Queen and Jurassic Park, with the occasional nod to Apocalypse Now. The actual content is hardly original but the approach is refreshingly different in that it doesn't concentrate on the sci-fi aspect of the story, instead focusing on the protagonists and it has quite a nice "screw with nature at your own peril" subtext plus some sly digs at America's isolationist, xenophobic foreign policy. Most react to the "monsters" with fear and violence with inevitably tragic results and this forms the backdrop to a nice, character driven journey that has a really nice, low key vibe. It's interesting how the proliferation of CGI has meant that indie film now has access to some pretty impressive visual effects and along with District 9, Monsters is another example of some quality results.
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Super Reviewer
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