Monsters **** (2010, Scoot McNairy, Whitney Able, Mario Zuniga Benavides) – Classic Movie Review 3312

Hooray for writer-director Gareth Edwards’s imaginative, stylish, thrilling and very well done 2010 sci-fi thriller, in which aliens have appeared on Earth and the authorities are trying to contain the creatures.

The plot focuses on cynical US freelance photographer Scoot McNairy and his frenzied efforts to escort his boss’s daughter, scared American tourist Whitney Able, through the quarantined Northern Mexican infected zone to safety across the US border.

Made, let us say crafted, on a low budget, it defies that continually, delivering both the thoughtful and the exciting sci-fi goods, and supplying loads of nail-biting tension along the way to a really impressive, satisfying ending.

The result is more District 9 than Transformers – and all the better for it. Emmy-nominated visual effects editor Gareth Edwards makes a fine, highly promising feature directorial debut. Maybe just give him a (slightly) bigger budget next time for a few more alien effects.

And they did! He was promoted to be the director of Godzilla in 2014.

A sequel, Monsters: Dark Continent, followed in 2014, directed by Tom Green.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3312

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