A24 Unleashes ‘The Monster’

Andrew Hawkins
Movies
Movies

What’s scary, lurks in the dark and looks like pure nightmare fuel? The Monster.

A24 has been on a roll this year. We recently took a look at some of our favorite movies from the company, and currently there are very few independent film groups as good at what they do. It’s hard not to love a team whose exceptional catalog includes movies like Ex Machina, Under the Skin, Spring Breakers, The Lobster and The Witch. These are all titles that are interesting, divisive and highly original in today’s generic and predictable landscape.

Now we have a brand new exciting horror film to look out for. The Monster is coming and it looks mean. This one comes from the mind of the 2008 home invasion thriller The Strangers. Writer/director Bryan Bertino appears to have made a tale of a mother and daughter stranded roadside into a fight for survival against a hellish and deadly beast of a creature. Even the trailer is horrifying and intense.

The Monster looks genuinely scary. The tone of the preview makes me think that audiences who lock into the plot will be treated to an edge of your seat, anxiety driven nightmare. I’m a huge fan of creature features, and if I’ve learned anything this year it is to trust in A24.They can practically do no wrong even if the movie they are putting out stars Daniel Radcliffe as a farting corpse.

AT&T and DirecTV Cinema are bringing the film home to VOD as of today before it hits theaters on 11 November. Viewing options are limited to HD and standard definition rentals but will last 72 hours for repeat viewings. This is a great chance to add to any Halloween watchlist throughout October, and any opportunity to see a new monster movie is worthwhile for hardcore horror fans.

Is it worth a rental?

Bertino’s story may appear similar to other films where characters get stranded in the middle of nowhere, but despite feeling familiar this still looks really good. Actresses Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine playing the mother and daughter are giving it their all here, and the quick clips of additional scenes in the trailer make things seem like more than meets the eye. There’s nothing like watching a solid horror film on a dark and stormy night, and The Monster definitely looks like the way to go.

monster-a24-key_art
Andrew Hawkins
Andrew Hawkins is a producer and publicist known for Mental Health and Horror: A Documentary, Jan Svankmajer’s INSECT, and Athanor: The Alchemical Furnace. Follow him on Twitter @mrandrewhawkins