The Horror Show
The Monster
by Bryan Bertino
Isn’t it just annoying when you’re driving on a lonely rural road on a dark rainy night and all of a sudden you get a flat tire while a horrific creature is patiently waiting for its next prey?
That’s exactly what The Monster’s leading mother-daughter duo Kathy (Zoe Kazan) and Lizzy (Ella Ballentine) had to deal with in Bryan Bertino’s feature. The gloomy story follows single mother and drug-addict Kathy, who’s taking her daughter Lizzy to her father.
Bertino makes sure to capitalize on the long drive as much as possible, building high tension between the two women. Mainly through flashbacks, we witness a haunting depiction of what being raised by a mother with substance-abuse problems is like, and what this harrowing addiction can do to the bond between a mother and her child.
As if the problematic relationship between the two lead protagonists isn’t enough, things take a grim turn when, after a detour, their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Enter sinister creature.
It takes quite some time before the leads become fully aware that they are under attack by a monster. Once they do, their battle for survival begins.
The Strangers director (Bertino) chose to weave a mystery around the origin of the beast. Is it supernatural? Is it an alien? Is it a prehistoric anomaly? Who can tell. Probably the idea behind the enigmatic creature was to encourage viewers to interpret it as they wish, but the lack of context, purpose, or backstory feels like the story was left in limbo.
However, there’s something about The Monster that’s worth mentioning. Kazan’s powerful performance is the movie’s biggest asset, and because of its power, the dramatic aspect of the story is more enjoyable than the horror one. The lingering family drama is very intense, and at the same time, the creature’s presence as a backdrop provides a nice boost in tension.
In an effort to breathe new life into the monster-horror category that seems to be taking a nap lately, The Monster is yet another addition with a limited shelf-life. Unfortunately, the movie never really generated any genuine suspense, even though the premise and general idea behind it encouraged a high level of agony.
HMS received an advanced screener of this movie in exchange for review.
Maria Kriva, HMS
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