Spoilers stay in the shadows.

Horror films are not always about the gore. Science fiction is not always about the special effects. Sometimes the movie is not about the key elements of the genre. Sometimes filmmakers only use them as the location and/or the background to illustrate human drama in a different light. This one is a perfect example, and I think it does a decent job. That being said, fans of the genre might feel slighted.

(Credit: Vertigo Films)

Monsters (2010) is directed and written by Gareth Edwards. After an alien encounter, half of the country of Mexico has become quarantined as the infected zone with giant monsters causing havoc and destruction. A photographic journalist named Andrew Caulder (Scoot McNairy) is tasked with escorting his boss’ daughter Sam Wynden (Whitney Able) back to the USA.

This a slow burn film, which is sort of a road trip more than it is anything else. The monsters do show up very scarcely. They are more the background than the focus. You see the ruined buildings, the victims, the ravaged towns by either monster or air raid and mostly the abundant war-like desolation. There is still some people surviving in a war economy of selling tours, gas masks and the ever scarce resources that can make it across. And it’s done in a simple, raw and believable way.

It works if you let it. The human drama of two strangers that get to know each other is not about romance but just about human contact during what is very much war time. If you’re looking for kaiju-type action, this is not the film. You’ll get to see a couple of engagements but they’re filmed exactly like a regular war engagement. It’s confusing, it’s mostly out of sight and you hear more mayhem than you witness. There’s an obvious message about class warfare as the US Army feels free to bomb both monster and Mexican citizens.

Strongly recommended for fans of slow burn films that skip the spectacle. It is not a monster movie per se, but a movie that happens during humanity’s war against monsters. However, for the sci-fi / horror crowd expecting to see more of the monster action, they will be hugely disappointed. Worth a watch if you’re willing to put in the time.

That will do for now.