Monsters

[Custard]

Yeah, so not the greatest title, eh, but I erm.... acquired a rather nice copy of this a couple nights back, and greatly enjoyed it.

Here's the fluff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters_%282010_film%29

Monsters is a 2010 British science fiction drama film,[3] written, cinematographed and directed by Gareth Edwards.[4] Whitney Able and Scoot McNairy star in the lead roles.[5]

Six years after Earth has suffered an alien invasion a cynical journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through an infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border.

A minimal cast (there's 2 leads, who are also a real-life couple, trivia fans), it's shot really nicely (using just the one camera), and i actually found it oddly moving in places.

Don't really wanna say any more, through fear of giving bits away, but yes, I'd like to recommend this big-times.

People (Empire) are saying it's "this year's District 9". I dunno about that, but that's certainly a recent film it reminded me of, from the way it's shot, to the general tone, to the quite stunning use of such a small budget.

It clearly won't be for everyone, and it's pretty slow-moving and subtle for a film with that title, but by the end I thought it was pretty great.

Hitting the cinemas next week, i think. EDIT - Oh no, already in them! heh.

[Serge]

People (Empire) are saying it's "this year's District 9".

Going by the poster, I think they're definitely trying to promote it from that angle - the broken-up lettering and the warning signs immediately made me think of 'District 9'!

[boxofslice]

Been looking forward to seeing this since I saw the trailer earlier this year.  Gareth Edwards was on Mayo & Kermode yesterday talking about the process of filming it and how these sorts of movies are becoming 'easier' to make now with the advances in home software.  Got the big thumbs up from both two presenters too.

[An tSaoi]

They interviewed the director in his flat on The Culture Show. He showed Kermode how he does all the special effects in his bedroom, and the little tricks he uses (there's no programme for tentacles, but there is one for ropes in zero gravity, so he just used it). But while the effects look absolutely great for something you knocked up in your bedroom, they don't look brilliant for a proper film.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Going by the poster, I think they're definitely trying to promote it from that angle - the broken-up lettering and the warning signs immediately made me think of 'District 9'!

Very much so, not that there's necessarily anything inherently wrong with that. From what I've seen and heard though, it's not as good as D9. It can't be as bad as the other recent micro budget invasion flick Skyline though. That was truly rubbish.

[alan nagsworth]

Going from the above blurb and poster, I too assumed it would be a very similar take on the District 9 idea.

So, that either says something about my incisive critical assessments based on first impressions, or most likely it says more about the lazy, blinkered snap-judgements of whoever wrote that Empire review.

Still, I greatly enjoyed District 9 and it's been ages since I went to the cinema so I reckon this is worth the venture.

[boxofslice]

Watched it yesterday and was slightly underwhelmed by it.  The film all hangs on whether you like the two leads or not and I just didn't warm to them so it did drag for me.  As a 'lo-fi' piece of cinema it was well made with some lovely shots of the terrain the characters were travelling through and the CGI was used sparingly but to good effect especially in the final scenes.  May have chosen a different title than 'Monsters'  - although I get what they mean by it, maybe misleading to some.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Don't tell me - People are the real monsters, right?

[Santa's Boyfriend]

Don't tell me - People are the real monsters, right?

Er... NO!

Spoiler alert

Oh alright.

[close]

[alan nagsworth]

The film all hangs on whether you like the two leads or not and I just didn't warm to them so it did drag for me.

Is this a criticism of most films with little in the way of lead roles, or just this film in general? I'm not hastily clutching at conclusions having still not seen 'Monsters', but the same opinion was kicked about after the release of 'Cloverfield' and it just seemed like a silly thing to say. My reason for mentioning this is that if, indeed, the monsters really are the survivors or somesuch oh-a-twist-but-not-really-as-it's-been-done-countless-times-before plot, you really shouldn't feel obliged to sympathise or even relate to the plight of those lead characters. The group focused on in 'Cloverfield' were, by and large, morons who made bad decisions, (and the viral campaign revealed that the humans were indeed the real 'monsters' if not the real twattish antagonists) but therein lies the charm (sometimes).

Er... Please disregard this if I've totally misinterpreted the film.

[boxofslice]

Is this a criticism of most films with little in the way of lead roles, or just this film in general? I'm not hastily clutching at conclusions having still not seen 'Monsters', but the same opinion was kicked about after the release of 'Cloverfield' and it just seemed like a silly thing to say. My reason for mentioning this is that if, indeed, the monsters really are the survivors or somesuch oh-a-twist-but-not-really-as-it's-been-done-countless-times-before plot, you really shouldn't feel obliged to sympathise or even relate to the plight of those lead characters. The group focused on in 'Cloverfield' were, by and large, morons who made bad decisions, (and the viral campaign revealed that the humans were indeed the real 'monsters' if not the real twattish antagonists) but therein lies the charm (sometimes).

Er... Please disregard this if I've totally misinterpreted the film.

You should see the film first I think.  With this one because you spend the whole of the film in their company, so to speak, the likeability of the couple is an important factor to how much you enjoy the 90 minutes.

[small_world]

I saw this today, hadn't heard about it until reading this 'ere thread.
I liked it, in fact I liked it a lot. I was alright with the leads, fair enough they had little depth to them but there was enough to keep you interested. It was well paced, with some beautiful scenes and an ok story, the actors were good too.
It wasn't all that like District9 in a plot sense. But I'd agree that they're obviously marketing to that audience, who wouldn't.
Not bad for a watch. I liked it. (My girlfriend fell asleep).

On the 'Monsters'

Spoiler alert

I thought they were well done. At the start, with all the night vision, they look a bit rubbish, but at the end they looked great. The petrol station scene was War of the Worlds, and I felt they could have added a bit more drama before the end. But it was a good change.

[close]

[Icehaven]

Definitely agree about the likeability of the two leads being paramount, and I didn't like them much, not least because of the utterly STUPID things they kept saying and doing, like repeatedly saying things like ''What is that over there? What's making that noise? What could that be?'' when they were passing through the middle of of an exclusion zone full of giant marauding aliens,

Spoiler alert

expressing surprise and concern over their jungle guides carrying guns even though they were passing through the middle of of an exclusion zone full of giant marauding aliens, having established the aliens only come out at night, cheerfully falling asleep all night out in the open on top of a big Mayan temple, and having established that the aliens are attracted to light, going and sitting under the only source of light for miles around and waiting to be rescued.

[close]

But the bit that really, really ruined it for me was when they were looking at the

Spoiler alert

big wall

[close]

, and the girl says ''It's like the Seventh Wonder''. There's already seven wonders!, The saying is 8th wonder! Unless that was intentional, to further establish their stupidity (he doesn't correct her), in which case all the previous stuff makes sense because the film is actually supposed to be about two ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances who just happen to be astoundingly stupid.
And I'm surprised to hear they're a realy couple, they had bugger all chemistry. It seemed a bit odd that she

Spoiler alert

needed a bloke to chaperone her home even though she'd been there alone in the first place too, as was the fact that he kept her documents in his bag.

[close]

[small_world]

But the bit that really, really ruined it for me was when they were looking at the

Spoiler alert

big wall

[close]

, and the girl says ''It's like the Seventh Wonder''. There's already seven wonders!

Odd, I've just had this conversation over Facebook.

[Harpo Speaks]

I saw it on Saturday and I was a bit disappointed, I'd been really looking forward to this one and heard a lot of good things.

I like the concept of setting it in a universe where the invasion has already occurred, and also the idea of not having that as the main focus, but if you are going to do that then you need something compelling at the centre of it. And there isn't really, there are stretches where it is quite tedious and unengaging, and those particular scenes certainly could have done with being trimmed down.

Really agree with your take icehaven, that's the main problem with it. I didn't care for the central couple, nor did I find their acting particularly good. Not helped by the dialogue they are given, some of which is terrible - several instances of 'What is that?' which is standard monster/alien movie fare, but makes no sense whatsoever within this universe.

The whole film looks fantastic though, and that's a real achievement when you consider the

Spoiler alert

budget. I loved the look of the monsters, just showed you enough to keep it convincing, the only time the effects struggled was when the tentacles came in to the Gas Station.

[close]

[Feralkid]

I thought it was staggeringly dull.   There are some nice visuals and the last few minutes are kinda beautiful but it wasn't worth sitting through so much tedium for those few nuggets.  And, as noted, the characters are banal and their dialogue yawn-inducing.   

I can only assume that the press are being kind because Edwards makes for such a good underdog story.   

[wheatgod]

Agreed, this was fairly pants. Nothing much happened and I didn't care for the central pair. They weren't put in all that much peril, and even if they were I wouldn't have really cared if they'd snuffed it.

[Rolf Harris]

In agreement with the haters over here. Couldn't have cared less about the two leads. The man in particular I just found to be shallow and unpleasant,

Spoiler alert

stopping all the time and ignoring everyone else's plight just to take his fucking photos

[close]

.

[Xander]

In agreement with the haters over here. Couldn't have cared less about the two leads. The man in particular I just found to be shallow and unpleasant,

Spoiler alert

stopping all the time and ignoring everyone else's plight just to take his fucking photos

[close]

.

I agree but

Spoiler alert

he grew as a character because of the incredibly cliched fact he DIDN'T take the picture of the dead kid that would have netted him $50,000 after the aliens attacked the cars. That said, I think it'd have been bolder to have him take the picture, making him a proper fuckhead.

[close]

[Small Man Big Horse]

I sort of quite liked it, it's nothing special and I'm glad I didn't pay to see it at the cinema, but it passed the time in an interesting enough manner. And I'm glad I'd read some of this thread, so I wasn't expecting it to be particularly action orientated. It takes a little too long to get going, and definitely does hinge on whether you like the couple (The girl made me unusually frisky, so I warmed to her quite quickly, and the bloke was okay-ish imho). What got me was the final scene -

Spoiler alert

where they look in awe as the aliens entwine, and I presume the suggestion is that they were fucking? I could be misinterpreting the scene and that's just how monsters shake hands, but if not, isn't a big urgh and creepy that the couple get off on another species copulating, whether it looks beautiful or not?

[close]

Edit: I've only just realised that the

Spoiler alert

beginning of the film shows what happens at the end of the movie, and suggests both die. I feel a bit stupid now.

[close]

[hundred]

Edit: I've only just realised that the

Spoiler alert

beginning of the film shows what happens at the end of the movie, and suggests both die. I feel a bit stupid now.

[close]

I just watched this last night and this post reminded me to watch the first bit again and

Spoiler alert

the guy is screaming and holding onto the girl, then runs away with her body just before the air strike, so I'm guessing she died

[close]