Weekly Review -- A new normal
Monsters (2010) -- A lyrical, poetic film about the existence of aliens in the neighborhood? Yes, please! It might have been marketed as an action thriller, but Gareth Edwards' feature is anything but. In fact, it might just be the philosophical opposite of any preconceived notions we may hold regarding films dealing with extra-terrestrials.
Six years after aliens invaded Earth, our planet's residents are dealing with the newly minted inhabitants as though they were pests, marking territories inhabited by the largely unfamiliar creatures as infected. In Costa Rica, jaded journalist Andrew (Scoot McNairy) is tasked with bringing his publisher's daughter Samantha (Whitney Able) back to the States through the infected zone of Mexico. On the road, the unlikely pair come across numerous obstacles, while truth after truth is revealed...
There have been too many comparisons between Monsters and District 9 for my liking and yes, the raw aesthetics of Edwards' depictions could very well parallel the Neill Blomkamp film. Still, with its emphasis on subtleties and moments that speak volumes, I would prefer comparing this piece to Wenders' post-utopian elegy Until the End of the World, if one needed to make an analogy at all. Like Wenders' film, Monsters is a moody reflection on a drastic change in the human condition. The characters are on a journey of self-discovery, whether they realize it or not. The very nature of this odyssey comes from Andrew and Samantha's respective life spheres -- he is a well-meaning cynic who has been around the block and back again, while she is sheltered and almost cocooned in her vulnerability. As we watch them navigate the new normal, we can slowly and clearly see each one of them reaching out to the other, looking for a friend in an insulating milieu where only the strongest survive. They are brought together by circumstances beyond their control and, paradoxically, are brought out of their shells and back into the collective consciousness of humanity through the presence of creatures that are not of our world.
The landscape plays a huge role in the story's objectives. I do not imagine that the narrative would work in an urban environment; furthermore, it is unrealistic to imagine cities as intact following an alien invasion. The damp, grainy ambiance of Monsters' Central America is as unpredictable as it is mysterious. The fact that we can spot mere glimpses of the creatures here and there, that we can only hear an occasional cry through the ominous dusk of the jungle... these are the tricks that Edwards uses to maximum effect. I would have loved to see more about the aliens' origins and their arrival, but that aspect would have had no impact on the context of this particular story, so I am guessing it is something that might be explored in the upcoming sequel.
The acting is organic and spontaneous, evoking a documentary rather than a feature. McNairy portrays Andrew with a hint of frailty lurking underneath the tough exterior, while Able gives a complex performance as Samantha, a woman seemingly trapped in her own life. The screenplay revolves around these two characters, and the actors' chemistry boasts a rare and mellow playfulness, contributing to the viewer's experience of the on-screen reality.
When all the cinematic gloss is stripped, when acting becomes living, the essential grit of the human existence remains. This is the stuff of Monsters, a film that plays upon our fear of the unknown as much as it shows how the unknown can forever remain in the role of the Other. Within its thrills and chills lies a tale of instincts that drive us to live, the desire to keep feeding our curiosity and, above all, the sense that we are not alone.
Six years after aliens invaded Earth, our planet's residents are dealing with the newly minted inhabitants as though they were pests, marking territories inhabited by the largely unfamiliar creatures as infected. In Costa Rica, jaded journalist Andrew (Scoot McNairy) is tasked with bringing his publisher's daughter Samantha (Whitney Able) back to the States through the infected zone of Mexico. On the road, the unlikely pair come across numerous obstacles, while truth after truth is revealed...
There have been too many comparisons between Monsters and District 9 for my liking and yes, the raw aesthetics of Edwards' depictions could very well parallel the Neill Blomkamp film. Still, with its emphasis on subtleties and moments that speak volumes, I would prefer comparing this piece to Wenders' post-utopian elegy Until the End of the World, if one needed to make an analogy at all. Like Wenders' film, Monsters is a moody reflection on a drastic change in the human condition. The characters are on a journey of self-discovery, whether they realize it or not. The very nature of this odyssey comes from Andrew and Samantha's respective life spheres -- he is a well-meaning cynic who has been around the block and back again, while she is sheltered and almost cocooned in her vulnerability. As we watch them navigate the new normal, we can slowly and clearly see each one of them reaching out to the other, looking for a friend in an insulating milieu where only the strongest survive. They are brought together by circumstances beyond their control and, paradoxically, are brought out of their shells and back into the collective consciousness of humanity through the presence of creatures that are not of our world.
The landscape plays a huge role in the story's objectives. I do not imagine that the narrative would work in an urban environment; furthermore, it is unrealistic to imagine cities as intact following an alien invasion. The damp, grainy ambiance of Monsters' Central America is as unpredictable as it is mysterious. The fact that we can spot mere glimpses of the creatures here and there, that we can only hear an occasional cry through the ominous dusk of the jungle... these are the tricks that Edwards uses to maximum effect. I would have loved to see more about the aliens' origins and their arrival, but that aspect would have had no impact on the context of this particular story, so I am guessing it is something that might be explored in the upcoming sequel.
The acting is organic and spontaneous, evoking a documentary rather than a feature. McNairy portrays Andrew with a hint of frailty lurking underneath the tough exterior, while Able gives a complex performance as Samantha, a woman seemingly trapped in her own life. The screenplay revolves around these two characters, and the actors' chemistry boasts a rare and mellow playfulness, contributing to the viewer's experience of the on-screen reality.
When all the cinematic gloss is stripped, when acting becomes living, the essential grit of the human existence remains. This is the stuff of Monsters, a film that plays upon our fear of the unknown as much as it shows how the unknown can forever remain in the role of the Other. Within its thrills and chills lies a tale of instincts that drive us to live, the desire to keep feeding our curiosity and, above all, the sense that we are not alone.
9/10
posted by raindropped @ 10:14 PM
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