The Monster (2016) | Film Review

Sometimes you see something and it peaks your interest, for whatever reason. You make a mental note, add it to a list, and tell yourself that when you know you can get your hands on it, you are going to get a hold of it. For some reason, maybe it’s the steady stream of other things going on in life, maybe it’s because something is so small that you never hear the announcement, you end up missing it in the moment. It’s as if you are looking for that specific bus to get on, but are so busy looking at all the busses, the one you are searching for sneaks by. That’s what happened to me with The Monster, and thankfully, this time I didn’t miss my stop. 

Do you like monster movies? I do. Sometimes the idea of something new and never seen can really unsettle you. Here’s the thing though, I don’t think The Monster of the title is referring to that big scary thing in the woods. There is most certainly something out there, and it’s a bad bad thing, but there is a lot more to this story. It might serve you better to go watch the movie and come back when you’re done, but if you choose to keep going with me let me apologize now for possibly ruining anything about this little gem. Ready? Ok, let’s get into it.  

A mother, Zoe Kazan , and daughter, Ella Ballentine , must confront a terrifying monster when they break down on a deserted road. Sounds simple, right? You might even feel like you’ve seen this movie before, but you haven’t seen it the way writer/director, Bryan Bertino tells it. He takes the tried and true monster movie tropes and accentuates it. He delivers the scares, sure, but what he does best here is tell you why THESE two are important to you. They aren’t just random strangers on a road you watch on their worst night. They are a mother with an addiction – more a child than a mother – and a daughter who so desperately wants to be a kid, even as she’s stuck mothering her mother. They have a sad and heart breaking relationship, yet they make you want them to win – damn it, they must win at least this one night and they must win together.

The monster itself? Well this, for me, is where the movie gets a little disappointing. I would have preferred not glimpsing the monster at all over what we did end up seeing. To describe it, take one of the alien all black bear creatures from Attack the Block, shave it down and cover it in cooking oil. Fortunately, they only let you see it near the end of the movie when you are already invested and your emotions are taking over, any sooner and it could have taken you completely out of it. Bravo to the effects team however, it’s not often that you see practical effects in films these days, and it’s obvious that they did the best they could with what they had to work with.

Lizzy, the daughter, is played by Ella Ballentine. In these movies, it’s tough being the kid. In most cases I would rather there were no kids. Often, they are a cheap tool to inject some sympathy in the viewer. Well they did that here too but it wasn’t cheap, it made sense and Ella did the job well. What you must remember about her character is that she desperately wants to be a kid. Her mannerisms remind me of people that have lived life very much the same way. Some moments they are wise and capable, and in others they are playing with toys just desperately holding on to something they missed. It’s wonderful to see someone so young expertly emote these traits that hopefully she may never have to experience for herself.

Time for me to be honest, Zoe Kazan Is the reason I wanted to see this movie. Not because I follow her career, but because I have only seen two of her projects, and I loved her performances in both. The thing about it is in those roles, she was sweet earnest, and fascinating to watch. This role was very different from those roles. She went from the sweet earnest character to, well, Courtney Love. Difference being I still liked what Zoe was doing as Kathy. She was a mess. She tried to be there for her daughter, but she was bad at it. She also managed to create the most unsettling part of the movie, something that I call the “F-U” standoff with her daughter. It felt volatile and real, I have seen those sorts of fights between parents and their children, and this was no different. Both actors must be committed to doing this right, and the adult in the argument cannot pull their punches to make it work. She didn’t.  

There are unfortunately a few clichéd points in the movie that can pull a groan out of you because you can almost set a watch to them. However, I feel these moments are used deliberately, as if Bertino is daring you to disengage from these two people who have had it so rough. It is an interesting experiment that succeeds with the help of two wonderful actresses whom create layered characters whom you ultimately want to care for. The Monster simply works.