Opening with a beautiful shot of the moon in the daylight sky, Are We Monsters, written and directed by Seb Cox, is a werewolf film like no other. Offering an eye-opening new perspective on one of the original movie monsters, Cox spends most of his time delving into his characters and the lore that surrounded his version of lycanthropy. The story follows Maya (Charlotte Olivia), a young female werewolf who teams up with a folklore enthusiast, Luke (Jathis Sivanesan), and two werewolf hunters, Connor (Stefan Chanyaem) and Everett (John Black), to understand her werewolf history and tame the monster within. As a blood moon draws closer and the threat of a powerful transformation looms, time is running out before the consequences of these events become deadly.
Even if you’ve seen every werewolf film on the planet, it’s unlikely that you’ve ever seen anything in the vein of what Cox has crafted here. His creations don’t immediately say werewolf when you see them as Cox skirts all tropes in favour of stepping out alone and being entirely original. This review won’t spoil the design, but trust us – they’re once seen, never forgotten. Some may struggle with just how much of a departure this creature presents from what is rooted in the mind when we say werewolf, but Cox’s version is steeped in the fantastical and anyone brave enough to create something so unique is deserving of respect.
Are We Monsters debuted at Arrow Video FrightFest as part of the First Blood strand of programming. This selection highlights some of the newest and more inventive new minds creating genre films and it is abundantly apparent why Seb Cox has appeared in this company. The creativity with his werewolves alone would be enough to see him included, but the filmmaker has much more in his arsenal. Cox tells his story through a seamless mixture of live-action and animation. Maya is a talented artist and as she hears stories about her people’s history from Connor and Everett, she begins to doodle and the images morph into her black and white (white pencil on black background) sketches. These images are beautiful, and when accompanied by the words of the story, which are mostly Ancient Greek in origin, take on an otherworldly charm and feel like a poem brought to life visually.
The narrative flows from day to night and back again almost invisibly; chats about crisps in bright sunlight suddenly transform into eerie legends told around warm campfires under the starlit sky. Our live-action portion of the story is told amongst the nature of the woods, the trees keeping our quartet of characters secluded from the rest of the world. With the focus on such a microcosm of people, it is easy to disappear into them and their situation, all other distractions pushed away and hidden.
Although featuring mythical creatures, the narrative of Are We Monsters more closely aligns itself with the structure of a coming-of-age drama. When we first encounter her, Maya is lost and alone, confused and slightly ashamed of what she is. Through her interactions with Luke, she begins to form connections and as she learns more about the history of her lineage, Maya begins to embrace her inner nature, paving the way for a dramatic finale. Along her journey there are plenty of twists, turns, and ever-changing allegiances that keep the viewer invested. Also keeping the audience hooked in are the brilliant performances from both Charlotte Olivia and Jathis Sivanesan as Maya and Luke. The unity of these two characters is beautiful to watch grow and develop and the real-life history between the stars (both attended the same school) helps to cement their on screen friendship.
Alluring and ethereal, Seb Cox’s Are We Monsters is a beautifully made love letter to that special branch of fantasy films that places thoughts and feelings at the forefront of the magic. Also featuring some stunning animation and a brand new idea for what a werewolf can be, Are We Monsters is a resplendent debut.
Are We Monsters
Summary
Emotionally charged and beautifully shot across a mixture of animation and live-action, this is one very special film.
Are We Monsters was reviewed at Arrow Video FrightFest 2021.
