Horror Movies
THE MONSTER: Solid Horror That Could Have Been More
Between a family drama and a blood-chilling story there is very little fluidity. And that is a pity, because The Monster could have been another gem by A24.
In an era of the greatest fascination with horror films that have recently come to be adorned with the prefix post, stories of terror operating in a more traditional form have to work hard to gain the audience’s favor. Not wanting to ignore the existence of metaphor-driven horror, directors sometimes try to include in their films some kind of social or psychological foundation. A similar idea clearly guided Bryan Bertino and The Monster from 2016.
His film, on a scale stretched between The Babadook and The Conjuring, is situated somewhere in the middle, although unfortunately it does not match either of these poles in terms of quality. Psychologization and classic horror rules were meant to be combined here, but the director focused too much on refining the first element, neglecting the second.
The plot of Bertino’s film centers on Lizzy (Ella Ballentine) and her mother, Kathy (Zoe Kazan). They are traveling by car through a forest to reach the home of Kathy’s ex-husband, the girl’s father. During the drive, the protagonists hit a wolf and get into an accident, which immobilizes their car. Soon it turns out that the broken vehicle is the least of Kathy and Lizzy’s worries, because the titular bloodthirsty monster is lurking in the forest.
The narrative framework is therefore extremely simple, but what is interesting about The Monster is the psychologically deepened relationship between the protagonists. Both mother and daughter know that Lizzy does not intend to return to Kathy. The woman struggles with an alcohol problem, which is connected to her complete irresponsibility and aggression. It is precisely the relationship between the mother and her child that constitutes the key element of The Monster.
The monster’s attack becomes a catalyst for change; in the face of a life-threatening situation, especially such an unusual one, maternal instincts gradually begin to awaken in Kathy, while Lizzy, repeatedly telling her mother I hate you, increasingly seeks her care. Bertino changes his protagonists gradually, and their rekindled bond is the most interesting point of the film, also thanks to the solid lead performances.
The intimate production scale also supports the focus on the mother–daughter relationship. Almost all scenes take place in a limited space, either inside the car or within a radius of a few meters around it. Bertino reduces the setting even further through the omnipresent darkness and rain that additionally narrows the field of vision. Such economical staging helps build an intimate relationship between the protagonists and, theoretically, should be conducive to creating atmosphere — after all, The Monster is a horror film.
It seems, however, that the director placed so much importance on presenting a believable parental relationship that he forgot about the genre his film was meant to represent. As a result, Bertino does not devote enough time to building tension related to the monster itself. True, the setting and cinematography have their atmosphere, but the creature, once it appears, simply attacks and gives no respite. Hence the rather disappointing finale, very simple and devoid of any subtlety.
Additionally, in two or three moments the emerging anxiety is suddenly stifled by unnecessary flashbacks confirming what we already know well — that Kathy and Lizzy’s family does not function properly. If the filmmaker cared so much about further deepening the relationship between the protagonists, he could have written more dialogue scenes for them, which would also have improved the drama.
It therefore seems that if The Monster were sent back for re-editing, or supplemented with a few additional shots, the film would clearly benefit. A horror film will not fully defend itself either with excellently written characters and perfectly outlined relationships between them, or with suggestive staging, when the essential tension is neglected.
Between a family drama and a blood-chilling story there is very little fluidity. And that is a pity, because Bryan Bertino’s film could have been another gem under the banner of the studio A24 and another interesting horror film with a non-obvious foundation. Only the foundation remains.
