Gareth Edwards', Monsters ~ Review

As soon as I heard about the making of Monsters, it caught my attention. Described as a 'low budget science fiction romance', when the movie hit the big screen, it caused quite a stir.

Monsters is set six years after a NASA probe crashed over Central America, causing the quarantine of half of Mexico. The movie follows a journalist photographer as he helps a tourist (who also happens to be his bosses daughter) through the ''infected zhe   infected zone” to the safety of the US border.

Despite being about aliens and danger, the movie is mostly character driven, with the relationship between the two main characters and their own personal growth, being the main focus. This changes the movie from being your usual 'people running, screaming' monster movie, to being far more intelligent.

I saw bits of Jurassic Park (the vehicles being tossed into trees), but I couldn't really see the comparison of District 9, which I've heard mentioned so many times in relation to Monsters. The only thing that is the same is that aliens have crash landed onto Earth, and frankly, there are tons of movies with that premise.

Considering the movie was made for $15,000, I thought it was great. The aliens looked a bit too much like giant octopus/squid, but it didn't detract from the movie too much. For me, the best thing about the movie was how it was made. Being a backpacker myself for many years, I loved the thought of a bunch of guys heading out with nothing more than a video camera and laptop to make a movie.

If you want a horror movie full of blood, gore, and jumpy moments, then this one isn't for you. If you want something with a bit more heart, then you'll enjoy Monsters.

In the end, the final point of the movie left me wondering; who were the monsters? The aliens or humanity?