Written and directed with fine-tuned precision from Bryan Bertino, The Monster is a nail-biting horror thriller that is sure to please most of the genre’s enthusiasts. Though it’s a simply crafted narrative, the shortest distance between two points, at least with The Monster, is a straight line.
Lizzy (Ella Ballentine) is a young girl who’s emotionally scarred thanks to her alcoholic mother Kathy (Zoe Kazan), a woman whose immaturity is absolutely galling. Kathy was way too young when she had Lizzy, and eventually she needs to grow up her daughter’s welfare.
Kathy and Lizzy embark on a road trip, as Lizzy will now be in the custody of her father (Scott Speedman, who previously worked with Bertino in The Strangers). After Kathy’s vehicle breaks down on a desolate road, the pair wait for some assistance. Unfortunately, a ravenous monster is lurking in the woods, waiting for a fresh kill.
With a great chunk of the film set during a rain drenched evening, Bertino and cinematographer Julie Kirkwood bathe their film in shadows, and oftentimes a car’s headlights are the only way we (and the characters) can see out into the distance. Even though it’s set out in the open, Bertino gives his story a claustrophobic feel. Whether it’s being terrorized by her mom or attempting to evade a mainly unseen creature, Lizzy’s world is simply closing in on her, and she’ll need a ton of resolve to make it through the night.
A body count is inevitable in a horror film, and though violence is an aspect of The Monster, it’s not the story’s focal point. Kazan and Ballentine deliver first rate work as loved ones who simply can’t stand one another, and watching the actresses verbally spar (one flashback sequence, set in a garage, is absolutely heartbreaking) is actually one of the picture’s scariest moments. Both actresses go to dark places in the feature, and though “the monster” is the story’s featured attraction, it’s their relationship that drives the storyline.
The final chapter of The Monster, in which mother and daughter meet their fates, is a bit improbable. Allowing a bit of fantasy into a relentlessly downbeat story, however, is simply what the doctor ordered. Credit goes to Bertino for going with a lo-fi approach to The Monster, as any special effects driven sequences would have detracted from the story’s overall power. As Lizzy and Kathy have their showdown with the creature that goes bump in the night, we hope for their survival. Whether it resides on an abandoned road or rests deep within one’s mind, monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Thanks to steady direction from Bertino and engaged performances from Kazan and Ballentine, this “monster” won’t go away anytime soon.
The Monster is now available On Demand and is playing in select theaters. Check out our discussion of The Monster on the CinemAddicts episode below:
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Posted by: Greg Srisavasdi