IMDb
So, they finally dropped the official trailer.
Official website.Surprisingly good. Like, seriously, damn good—it was actually fantastic. It’s got this fascinating geopolitical subplot running through it that’s cleverly disguised, but if you look closer, it’s basically a full-blown, rapid-fire critique of the USA. This is definitely one of those movies that hits much harder than you’d expect.
anti-American It’s honestly one of those films that defines a decade, really. At its core, you have this slow-burn love story unfolding between Samantha and Andrew—a gradual, subtle connection that builds over time. It’s interesting because, despite what some people might argue in their deep dives, the relationship actually develops quite naturally here.
Cloverfield I mean, it actually works.
I don't know what to tell you, but I'm just not feeling it.It’s basically this destructive process capable of paralyzing everything in its path—we’re talking massive entities reaching heights of over 300 feet—wrapped up in a survival sci-fi drama told from a third-person perspective. Honestly, the movie works on so many different levels at once. As for the ending, it hits exactly the way it needs to; in my opinion, it was absolutely perfect (I mean, screw the walls, the perimeter was breached anyway).
I happened to stumble upon a review earlier.
HorrorHRI’m in total agreement here—I'm passing this along exactly as it was said:
Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. The USA sent out a probe to grab some samples, but the thing ended up crashing right in the middle of the Mexican desert on its way home. Things went south pretty quickly after that when the alien life started spreading, forcing the government to set up a massive quarantine zone spanning the territory between Mexico and the safety of the US border. The movie follows two young Americans just trying to find their way back home through the mess. Monsters is the debut feature from director Gareth Edwards. Gareth EdwardsSo, I’ve finally sat down to watch the film that critics have been hyping up as the next big thing, and honestly, I get it. The Monsters has been tearing up the festival circuit lately, racking up quite the collection of awards, and after seeing it myself, I can totally see why the buzz around this movie is so massive. It’s actually a damn good film.
The movie follows this photographer and the daughter of his publisher, both of whom end up scrambling to catch the very last ferry from Mexico to the US just before all the ports shut down for six months. Their only real option left is to pay some pretty shady characters for an incredibly expensive and high-stakes trek through a quarantine zone. Looking at how the plot unfolds and certain choices made by the characters, the whole thing feels like a modernized reflection of the mess currently happening along the southern US border. I’m talking about those massive immigration issues—things have escalated so much that states like Arizona have implemented these repressive laws that actually sparked a huge media backlash in America just about a month ago. There’s all this talk about a wall on the southern border, and you can see a similar barrier represented in Monsters. You can pick out a few other subtle jabs at America throughout the film, but we don't need to get into that right now; let's just stick to the movie itself.
To be honest, calling Monsters a classic horror movie is a massive stretch; aside from the creatures themselves, which aren't even the main focus of the narrative, there isn't much horror to be found here at all. It’s more of an incredibly well-crafted survival sci-fi drama where you find yourself completely rooting for the leads, feeling every bit of their desperate struggle to make it back home and watching their bond slowly deepen along the way. The casting is spot on, too, because the chemistry between the two leads is just undeniable—which actually makes sense, considering the director confirmed after the premiere that they’re a real-life couple who recently tied the knot.
The cinematography in Monsters is honestly pretty incredible, especially when you consider they weren't exactly rolling in cash during production. You really have to tip your hat to Gareth Edwards; the guy didn't just write and direct the whole thing, he actually handled a huge chunk of the special effects himself. Visually speaking, you could easily mistake this for a massive Hollywood blockbuster if you didn't know better. I honestly had a blast from start to finish; watching this "modern warfare" nightmare unfold alongside its underlying love story made Monsters a total standout for me, so I'd definitely give it a warm recommendation..
Seriously, highly recommended.
total disaster
lose
passable
solid
very good
excellent [x]
masterpieceHow Gareth Edwards Shot ‘Monsters’ On An Incredibly Low BudgetAfter we broke the news that the film was produced on a meager budget of just $15,000 while somehow looking 700 times more expensive, the comment sections absolutely lost their minds. People were shouting things like, “There is no way you can pull off a monster movie for fifteen grand! The crew alone costs more than that! A single camera rental would blow the whole budget!” Well, Best Buy actually dropped a behind-the-scenes featurette that breaks down exactly how Gareth Edwards pulled off such a feat on such a shoestring budget. You can check it out right here, tucked under the fold.
Good grief, fifteen thousand dollars?!
🙏🙏🙏
