Director: Tom Green
Starring: Johnny Harris, Sam Keeley, Joe Dempsie, Nicholas Pinnock, Sofia Boutella
Certificate: 15
Special Features: The Dog Fight – VFX Breakdown / Evolving the Monsters / Filming on Location
Gareth Edwards‘ 2010 film Monsters is seen by many as one of the most original and innovative movies of this century. Edwards’ managed to craft a thought-provoking sci-fi monster movie on a shoe-string budget. Rather than other films that dealt with invading aliens, this one was devoid of massive set pieces and the White House being blown up. Instead the film was much more focussed on the humans of the story, Andrew and Sam, as they made their way through the infected zone and embarked on a romance along the way.
Now four years later we have a sequel to Edwards’ classic. Edwards himself has given up the director’s chair in favour of Godzilla and Star Wars: Rogue One, he does however have a producing credit. Wanting to keep the formula of the first film alive studio Vertigo Films have again brought in a first time feature film director to hold the reins, recruiting Misfits director Tom Green. Vertigo Films believe that the Monsters world has the scope and scale to become a fully fledged franchise but rather than having each story follow on from the last they want something different.
Different is exactly what viewers get from Monsters: Dark Continent. Edwards’ first chapter was essentially a road movie romance with a sci-fi tint. This time around Green has crafted a war film about brotherhood, and obligation to serve, with a sprinkling of sci-fi. The trailers for the movie pointed to a more James Cameron Aliens style progression, with all-out war on the table.
Thankfully Green was clever enough to forgo this route and instead has produced a very modern war movie that highlights the true nature of being a soldier, think Jarhead and you’re in the right ball park. The scenes of war are gritty and visceral, you’ll find yourself forgetting that this is technically a science fiction film.
At the centre of the film is the dynamic between protagonist Michael (Keeley) and Frater (Harris). Michael and his best friend Frankie (Dempsie) are on their first mission, something for which they have been pumping themselves up for years. Frater has seen several tours and is struggling to cope with the stress of the job coupled with the anguish of leaving his family behind. Much like Jeremy Renner‘s character in The Hurt Locker we get the impression that Frater can’t quite hack the civilian life any more. His unease in both halves of his life leading him to be especially hard on this new squad of soldiers. As the mission unwinds so do the mental states of both men, culminating in a tense stand-off.
As with Monsters the titular creatures themselves act as merely a backdrop to more character-driven proceedings. A factor that will alienate some, but relieve most, especially any big fans of the first film. That’s not to say that they don’t play their part, these beasts are a lot meaner than what we’ve witnessed before. When they are seen they are just as visually sumptuous as the first time around and as it’s been a decade between the stories we’re even treated to some clearly newly evolved species.
Instantly recognisably as having the same ethos as the first, Monsters: Dark Continent feels tonally similar to it’s predecessor whilst still striking out on its own.
Monsters: Dark Continent is available on DVD, Blu-ray & Steelbook on 31st August
