Monsters

Overlaying The War of the Worlds with a message about U.S. immigration policy, filmmaker Gareth Edwards' Monsters begins with the premise that huge, squid-like extraterrestrials have taken over a great swath of northern Mexico, resulting in a quarantine situation. Photojournalist Andrew (Scoot McNairy) is ordered by his magazine boss to ensure that the magnate's daughter Samantha (Whitney Able) makes it back across the heavily guarded border into the U.S. Since the pair are prevented from using planes or ships, grubby mercenaries are hired to lead the couple northward through the forbidden zone to presumed safety behind the gigantic wall that the government has constructed to seal the border. Of course, danger lurks along every step of the way, and the inevitable romantic sparks begin to fly between Andrew and Samantha as they slip past the creepy critters toward their destination. The creature effects are excellent—offering proof that impressive CGI work can be done at very low cost nowadays—and the director makes canny use of hurricane-ravaged regions of Texas. But Monsters becomes very heavy-handed with its messages as the film wears on—i.e., who are the real “monsters,” the aliens or the humans?—and the acting is mediocre at best. Still, the fact that it actually has something on its mind makes this admittedly flawed thriller more interesting than many big-budget bores. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)