I’ve been searching for a way to best describe Gareth Edwards’s low budget sci-fi feature Monsters. Made on a half-million dollar budget, it’s impressive to see what can be done compared to the big budget films that seem to use their budgets to excess. But the limits are evident early, such as the opening night vision scene that feels as if it was pulled directly out of the early moments of Cloverfield as attacking aliens are hidden amongst the blackness. These aliens have started inhabiting the Earth and a peaceful relationship is yet to be attained. Of course, considering Edwards’s aliens look like giant, electrically-charged, translucent octopi and don’t seem to have a useful method of communication it’s no surprise satisfactory terms for cohabitation have yet to be reached.
We immediately learn the earth reached its current situation after a NASA probe with samples of an alien life form, crashed over Central America six years ago. Soon thereafter, alien lifeforms were spotted and half of Mexico was quarantined and declared an “Infected Zone,” conjuring memories of District 9. The difference being Monsters doesn’t have the narrative legs of District 9, not by a long shot.
Using this setting, Edwards begins an essentially small story of Andrew (Scoot McNairy), an American journalist charged with escorting Samantha (Whitney Able) safely back to America where a wall was built separating the United States from its neighbor to the south. Using stereotypical romantic storytelling ideals, this results in a love-hate relationship that changes over the course of the film.
Instead of being much of an alien, or monster film, the narrative of Monsters is more of a road trip relationship drama, using travel issues as the day-to-day hurdles necessary to forward the couple’s budding love for one another. McNairy and Able bring enough to their characters to warrant some interest as they traverse a hostile environment, but to say there’s enough here to warrant a feature length film is stretching it, especially considering the largely underwhelming ending.
Edwards is lucky he got the performances he did out of his actors because the film would be an utter bore otherwise. Budgetary constraints meant keeping the alien creatures mostly out of sight, using the fear of what may happen if they were around to maintain tension. It works to some degree, but it makes me think of how District 9 began as a low budget short; perhaps Monsters should have gone the same route.
The biggest question is whether to recommend you seek out Monsters in theaters or remain happy enough to watch it On Demand or on iTunes. If you’re interested enough in the film I think it benefits from a theatrical viewing, if for nothing else, to see what can be achieved on a small budget with a fair amount of imagination.
Edwards is highly impressive serving as not only writer and director, but as his own cinematographer, production designer and visual effects team. Along with his sound designers, Edwards creates a spectacular amount of atmosphere. Give this guy a little more money and a script with a bit more meat on it and you may end up with something truly impressive, which makes seeing this movie a chance to get in on an up-and-coming director at the ground floor.
