For a movie that’s based around an outlandish scenario, it’s refreshing that the best thing about it isn’t the special effects.
COVID-19 wreaked havoc with theatrical releases in 2020. Films that had the potential to be box office hits were quietly released to video on demand, streaming services, and physical media. So for the foreseeable future, we’re all likely to “discover” movies that would normally received mainstream promotion and media attention. One such movie that I recently discovered is Love and Monsters, which was released digitally in October, 2020. Had it been released theatrically before the pandemic, I think it would have been a moderate hit.
The movie takes place seven years after a “monsterpocalypse.” Fallout from an asteroid has mutated the planet’s insect, reptile, and amphibian populations into giant monsters which have killed off 95% of humanity. The remaining survivors have taken refuge in underground bunkers called colonies.
Joel (Dylan O’Brien) is a 24 year old artist who, as the movie opens, tells us that he’s the only single person in his colony. Suffering from a tendency to freeze under pressure, Joel has been relegated to cooking and cleaning duty. He feels he doesn’t have a real place in the colony where survival skills are highly prized. He spends the majority of his time longing for his girlfriend, Aimee (Jessica Henwick, Underwater,) from whom he was separated when the monsters attacked.
When Joel discovers that Aimee’s colony is only 85 miles away, he decides to make a solo trek to find her. The trip will take seven days and require the exact survival skills that Joel doesn’t possess. Love makes people do stupid things.
Love and Monsters reminded me a lot of 2009’s Zombieland. There are a lot of similarities between the two, including a road trip scenario and a set of rules to follow delivered by an older “mentor” figure. Here Joel learns the ways of the monster-populated surface world from Clyde (Michael Rooker,) a grizzled veteran. Clyde, along with the young Minnow (Ariana Greenblatt,) help Joel get acclimated to handling himself. Joel also meets Boy, a dog that saves his life and becomes a valuable partner in his journey.
While the film may sound like a downer, especially after we’ve all dealt with a worldwide pandemic, it’s actually a lot of fun. Despite the subject matter, the movie isn’t dark or dreary. Full of colorful creatures, humor, and a general sense of fun, Love and Monsters maintains a positive outlook throughout.
For a movie that’s based around an outlandish scenario, it’s refreshing that the best thing about it isn’t the special effects. O’Brien’s performance as Joel hits all the right notes. Joel never comes across as a wimp or annoying. He’s likeable, honest, and a genuinely nice guy that you’ll find yourself rooting for as the movie progresses. Rooker, who is more well known for playing villains, makes an excellent pseudo father figure in his relatively short amount of screen time. Henwick’s Aimee is allowed to be more than just a girl waiting for her man.
The special effects are excellent, though. Thanks to effective practical effects, the big bugs, frogs, and lizards are all appropriately gooey and the CGI never looks excessively fake. Since the movie is geared toward a young adult audience, nothing here is too scary. But those with phobias about creepy crawlies will probably have a hard time sitting through this one.
Even though elements of Love and Monsters are familiar and even predictable, the movie still manages to feel fresh enough to warrant a recommendation.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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