Monster's was shot out of the back of a van for three weeks in Mexico and Central America. Three of those seven were director Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, Godzilla) and our two stars, Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able. What these three and the remaining crew have produced is something of a miracle. I was interested in finishing of Edwards filmography in preparation for the release of the Star Wars spin-off Rogue One, having already seen 2014's visually dazzling, if not to a fault, Godzilla. I can report with utmost confidence that Monsters is the far better film, bringing a human element to the monster genre like very few films of its kind. Maybe the most impressive aspect of the story is its politics, which, while Edwards said wasn't the intention, is a striking commentary on U.S./Mexico immigration. One could argue their is a clairvoyance to this movie.
The U.S. has erected a wall that is meant to keep out alien invaders that have crash landed over Mexico during a NASA mission to affirm the existence of extraterrestrial life on one of Jupiter's moons. With that, we meet Andrew Caulder (McNairy), a broke photographer sent by his boss to find his daughter somewhere in southern Mexico. We meet the daughter Samantha (Able) and follow the two on their tumultuous journey back to the United States. While the twos' performances won't win any awards, they are serviceable enough to convincingly move along the plot which relies heavily on human interaction and relationship rather than the tentacled monsters for which the film was named. On their journey, the two bond with each other, both engulfed in family problems back home. In the films most beautiful and allegorical moment, Sam and Andrew climb to the top of a ruined pyramid from a civilization long past as they catch view of the towering border wall, reminiscing on how different their lives will be on the other side of the wall, free from fear and back to a normal routine. It is really quite moving and Edwards captures some stunning shots with his minimal equipment that rival anything released in 2010 (and that's saying something since Inception released the same summer). I would be remiss not to mention the titular space creatures. They really are only seen in a scene or two throughout the film and take a backseat to the human drama playing out. The ending scene is cinema perfection and Edwards deserves all the credit for self-animating the aliens using purchasable software in his bedroom. Also, a shout out to the many extras who were all natives of the country in which filming took place, they provide some of the most organic moments of the film and deserve praise. If Monsters tells me anything, it may be time for Edwards to return to low budget fare, where he gets the most of what he has available without being dragged down by the burden of franchise filmmaking.
The U.S. has erected a wall that is meant to keep out alien invaders that have crash landed over Mexico during a NASA mission to affirm the existence of extraterrestrial life on one of Jupiter's moons. With that, we meet Andrew Caulder (McNairy), a broke photographer sent by his boss to find his daughter somewhere in southern Mexico. We meet the daughter Samantha (Able) and follow the two on their tumultuous journey back to the United States. While the twos' performances won't win any awards, they are serviceable enough to convincingly move along the plot which relies heavily on human interaction and relationship rather than the tentacled monsters for which the film was named. On their journey, the two bond with each other, both engulfed in family problems back home. In the films most beautiful and allegorical moment, Sam and Andrew climb to the top of a ruined pyramid from a civilization long past as they catch view of the towering border wall, reminiscing on how different their lives will be on the other side of the wall, free from fear and back to a normal routine. It is really quite moving and Edwards captures some stunning shots with his minimal equipment that rival anything released in 2010 (and that's saying something since Inception released the same summer). I would be remiss not to mention the titular space creatures. They really are only seen in a scene or two throughout the film and take a backseat to the human drama playing out. The ending scene is cinema perfection and Edwards deserves all the credit for self-animating the aliens using purchasable software in his bedroom. Also, a shout out to the many extras who were all natives of the country in which filming took place, they provide some of the most organic moments of the film and deserve praise. If Monsters tells me anything, it may be time for Edwards to return to low budget fare, where he gets the most of what he has available without being dragged down by the burden of franchise filmmaking.