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Monsters
R1 - America - Magnolia Home Entertainment/Magnet Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (11th March 2011). |
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The Film
 I don’t suspect this is a well-known fact, so I’ll state for the record once again that I’m a complete and total monster movie junkie. Having grown up on a steady diet of films starring Godzilla, and just about any other monster that was big and scaly, I get positively giddy whenever I learn of new entries to one of my favorite genres being produced. The sad fact is that they’re far and few between, and many of those that are released end up being CGI monstrosities (no pun intended) that don’t warrant repeat viewings. Hell, even Godzilla’s last couple of adventures didn’t do a whole lot for me. So, I was excited when I heard about director Gareth Edwards’ “Monsters” (2010). There had been a great deal of buzz generated about the flick, which Edwards’ shot without the use of professional actors or much of a crew for around $800K. Most stated that he made the most of his limited budget – creating an entire infected region of the world replete with extraterrestrial creatures using some impressive computer-generated effects. Operating as something of a one-man show, Edwards was responsible for the film’s direction, writing, production design, visual effects and cinematography, so the onus was placed squarely on him to pull it all off. And I’ve gotta say, I’m damn impressed with what he made. “Monsters” is a bit like “Cloverfield” (2008) in the sense that the monster invasion is merely a backdrop which the events are set against. In that film, it was a group of friends trying to rescue a girl and escape a crumbling Manhattan. In this case, it’s a young photojournalist entrusted with bringing the daughter of a wealthy publisher back to safety in America. But in both films, the monsters took a backseat to the central human storyline. If you think that’s something you can handle, then “Monsters” may be of interest to you. But if you’re another creature feature fan who wants to whine endlessly about not having monster action for 2+ hours, then you’re going to wind up disappointed. As a text card at the start of the film tells us, six years ago a NASA space probe that had been searching the universe for extraterrestrial life broke up over Mexico during reentry. Soon after, organisms began to grow in the region, eventually taking it over and labeling the country an infected zone. Samantha (Whitney Able) is the daughter of a wealthy publishing magnate who is desperately trying to get home to America after a recent monster attack in the vicinity. Andrew (Scoot McNairy) is a photojournalist who’s on assignment in the area shooting pictures for one of her father’s magazines. Sensing an opportunity to make good with her dad, Andrew assures him that he’ll make sure to get her home to America at any cost. But when their train is delayed on the tracks, the two need to make their way through the infected zone by foot, car, boat… any means they can use to make it home free. The biggest hurdle they face are these creatures, which number in the hundreds and attack anyone and anything when they’re active at night. Naturally, along the way they start to develop feelings for one another. The monsters may not be the focus of the film, but their presence is felt throughout the entire movie. This is one of the main reasons why I don’t have as much of a problem with the film as so many seem to. Everywhere we look there are signs of their destruction. The Mexican countryside is littered with signage declaring the area an “Infected Zone”, with images of gas masks and warning symbols. Military men patrol the cities, digging through rubble made up of buildings, bodies and limbs from the creatures. You’re probably wondering by now what they look like. There’s definitely some H.P. Lovecraft inspiration at work here. The massive creatures, which stand a good 60-75 feet, look like gargantuan walking octopi. That’s probably the easiest way for me to describe them. They’re giant cephalopods. I could complain about the lack of originality in the design, but I can buy the explanation that organisms attached to a space probe would develop into something with a more primordial design. And the limited budget meant they weren’t going to need something massively different from anything we’ve seen before since they’re essentially background characters. But Edwards still gave them a sound biology, even including a bit on how they gestate and reproduce. That’s more than you’ll get out of most monster movies. The scientific angle helped me buy into the world he created that much more. Gareth Edwards is a director to watch. This much is obvious after you’ve seen “Monsters”. The simple fact is that he made quite a lot with very little. I can think of dozens of directors who couldn’t have done half of what he did with 30 times the money. Edwards is a true auteur – a single man handling almost every duty on his debut film to ensure it’s just as he wants it to be. You’ve got to respect that. And apparently studios have taken notice, since it was just recently announced that he’ll be helming the latest American reboot of “Godzilla” (tentatively set for 2012). Judging by the respect he paid to kaiju (big monster) films with this one, I have faith that he won’t turn in another turkey on the level of Roland Emmerich’s bastardization of the franchise, “Godzilla” (1998). I love that he just packed up a camera, a couple of untested actors and basically went on vacation in Mexico. He’s stated that a lot of the dialogue was improvised on the spot; that he just filmed the actors as two people slowly growing feeling for each other, and the main storyline of the film slowly took shape. Once he had all the raw footage, it was simply a matter of inserting the horrors of a beast-ravaged nation into the frames. The end result is a simple, effective monster movie with a real, believable human element at play.
Video
The DVD’s 2.35:1 anamorphic picture looks perfectly suitable for standard definition. I’ve seen (and own) the film in high-def, so the deficiencies of this lower-resolution image are more apparent to me. But the quality is solid for DVD. The film was shot using HD cameras, so the picture looks reasonably sharp and well-defined. Obviously fine detail isn’t as prominent, but the picture gets the job done all the same. The limited budget doesn’t show through as much as you might expect, with the visuals looking strong and film-like, especially the CGI creature work which I found to be quite impressive. The lush, earthy hues of the Mexican jungles look rich and textured. The image takes a hit when there is nighttime action; it can be hard to make out much of what’s going on. But a film that relies this heavily on CGI trickery (because of a low budget) sometimes needs to employ shadows to help blend the real and digital worlds more seamlessly.
Audio
The lone option here is an English Dolby Digital EX 5.1 surround sound track. Despite being a monster film, a lot of the movie is dialogue driven, so don’t expect widespread action and destruction on the scale of a typical big creature feature. I never had an issue making out anything that was being said, even when the actors were required to whisper so as not to give themselves away. The handful of destruction sequences we are treated to, however, sound great. The LFE track booms with thunderous explosions as the creatures toss trucks around the landscape, smashing everything in their wake to pieces. Surrounds are put to good use during these scenes, and other scenes featuring the sounds of the jungle canopy. The very minimalist score, courtesy of composer Jon Hopkins, blends well into the mix, creating a soothing atmosphere against the backdrop of international terror. The only subtitle option is a Spanish track.
Extras
The DVD edition of “Monsters” goes much lighter on the supplements than its Blu-ray counterpart. Included here is an audio commentary, some deleted/extended scenes and a brief EPK featurette as well as bonus trailers. The Blu-ray has much more on the project’s behind-the-scenes production, and it also includes a digital copy, so I think it goes without saying that’s the one to get if you’re in the market to own this film. The audio commentary with director Gareth Edwards and actors Whitney Able and Scoot McNairy is a great listen, full of information on how Edwards pulled off this technical feat on such a shoestring budget. What fascinated me most was learning how much of the image is composed of CGI. Sure, things like destroyed hotels and battle ships littering the forest canopy were obviously inserted digitally, but I didn’t figure that just about every single road sign was a pre-existing image that Edwards simply laid graphics on top of. If you’ve ever wanted to know how a director with an ambitious project is able to make the most out of his budget, this is a must-listen. Some deleted/extended scenes are included for the following: - “Ferry Ticket” runs for 3 minutes and 12 seconds, this is an extension of the scene where Samantha and Andrew try to negotiate a ferry ticket back to the U.S. - “The Mexican Family Home” runs for 3 minutes and 52 seconds, more of the hospitality the two are shown when they arrive at a local home for help. - “The Motel Room” runs for 9 minutes, this is a much longer cut of the scene where Andrew & Samantha arrive for their one night at the local hotel, getting to know each other much more. - “The Picnic” runs for 4 minutes, still more dialogue exchanges between the two, this time much more comfortable with speaking to one another. “HDNet: A Look At Monsters” featurette runs for 4 minutes and 48 seconds. This is basically the standard EPK-style behind-the-scenes clip show that HDNet produces for its acquisitions. The film’s two leads, as well as director Edwards, talk about their respective roles in the film as we’re treated to some on-set footage. Considering the limited budget Edwards was working with, I’d have loved to see something longer that really delves into his creative process. The disc opens with bonus trailers for the following: - “Ong Bak 3” runs for 1 minute and 24 seconds. - “All Good Things” runs for 2 minutes and 19 seconds. - “Night Catches Us” runs for 2 minutes and 27 seconds. - “Vanishing on 7th Street” runs for 2 minutes and 25 seconds. - “Rubber” runs for 39 seconds. - “HDNet promo” runs for 1 minute and 1 seconds.
Packaging
The single disc comes housed in an eco-case with cover art that looks like it was sourced from a low-res image.
Overall
I loved “Monsters”, but I can understand why it’s not for everyone. People I’ve spoken to who went into the film knowing the creatures are supporting players in this universe had a much more favorable opinion of the film than those who expected a non-stop monster battle taking place for the duration of the runtime. This is a film that I think belongs on the shelf of every big monster fan out there. Look, I love watching a guy in a rubber suit roll around miniatures as much as the next guy, but I think everyone can agree that having a film that takes some chances and presents a different take on the tried-and-true creature feature formula is a welcomed effort. I recommend you get it on Blu-ray for the benefits to the picture, audio and bonus materials. If, however, that isn’t an option for you then this DVD is certainly a worthy one to own.
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