Monsters is a 2010 British science fiction horror film written and directed by Gareth Edwards in his feature film directorial debut. The film stars Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able. In the film, six years after a mysterious epidemic has killed most of humanity and turned many others into monstrous creatures, a man and woman travel together through England in an attempt to reach the safety of the coast.
Monsters isn’t a horror flick, it stands well and truly in the thinking man’s science fiction camp. Sure it has some pretty tense moments, but it lacks on big time scares and gore. In fact I can’t remember any real gore whatsoever. No, it’s a straight sci-fi with a lot of sociological overtones. It’s difficult to not think that writer/director is making a statement about US immigration. If you imagine the infected zone as the border you’ll get the idea. When your on the other side of a border looking in, things can look very different than when your on the ‘comfy’ side.
The movie has some decent action scenes involving the aliens, they’re huge lumbering things that can bring down fighter jets, tanks, buildings and cars easily. They look almost Lovecraftian, Cthulhu esque with big tentacles and strong glowing colours. Perhaps not the most original of movie monsters but they suffice.
The movies pacing is really quite disjointed. The first half is relatively boring, it mostly revolves around the two main characters and they’re intimacy (or lack thereof). Once they venture into the infected zone things start to ramp up and the tension and suspense kicks in. At this point the movies gets really good so i would recommend persevering if you find the movie to be, well, boring to start with.
Monsters is strong movie with a good pinch of artistic stylism thrown in. The SFX are solid for a relatively low budget flick and it has good quality acting, even if it is somewhat slow to start with. I’m going to give this one a solid thumbs up.
“Monsters” is a simple but effective film that uses its low budget to its advantage. The film’s standout visual effects make up for its lack of traditional scares, and the two central performances are strong. Gareth Edwards’ direction is sure-handed, and the film’s overall atmosphere is one of unease and dread. “Monsters” is a quietly effective film that’s well worth seeking out.
Synopsis
The UK movie Monsters is a 2010 science fiction horror film directed by Gareth Edwards and starring Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able. The film follows six years after a NASA probe crash in Mexico which released alien lifeforms into the atmosphere. The aliens, known as “The Monsters”, are now present all over the world and the United States has erected a wall along the Mexican border to keep them out. When American photojournalist Andrew Kaulder (McNairy) is sent to Mexico to get footage of the Monsters, he is accompanied by his boss’s daughter, Samantha Wynden (Able). The two of them must travel through the “Infected Zone” to get to safety. Along the way, they must contend with both the Monsters and the dangerous people who have taken up residence in the Infected Zone.
Movie Details
Director: Gareth Edwards
Writer: Gareth Edwards
Actors: Scoot McNairy, Whitney Able, Mario Zuniga Benavides
Release Year: 2010