“Elevated horror” is a controversial term as of late. Coined in the wake of the A24 accession and absolutely loathed by true horror fans, the contemporary sub-genre has become synonymous with ostentatious filmmaking that undermines the entire history of a genre that has always been at the precipice of cultural relevance.
Following the critical success of films such as The VVitch and Hereditary and the almost overnight auteur status awarded to the directors who crafted them, a vast majority of genre filmmakers started getting more cerebral with their horror concepts. The ghost in the house is no longer just a sinister presence: it is a sinister presence that serves as a metaphor for the deep-rooted trauma the family within the house is hiding. This is a post-Babadook world and we’re all just living in it.
Monstrous, the latest horror feature from former Razzie nominee Chris Siverston, showcases the dangers of shooting for highbrow horror and missing. The film follows single mother Laura Butler (played by the always great Christina Ricci) as she moves to a new town with her young son Cody in order to flee their abusive past. Upon arriving in their new home, Cody befriends a malevolent spirit who hides in the pond just outside the house. When Cody invites the spirit inside, Laura’s life is turned upside down as she is forced to come face-to-face with current threats and past torments.
Director Siverston seems to want his film to play as a family drama with some good scares along the way, but the drama too often feels inconsequential and the scares are few and far between. This is where Monstrous starts to have its identity crisis. The film attempts to tackle some tough topics, but never in a way that justifies its horror roots. Siverston is a prolific genre director with I Know Who Killed Me and All Cheerleaders Die, two misunderstood cult classics, under his belt. He is no stranger to the horror genre and has elicited committed lead performances from the actresses he has chosen to collaborate with in the past. Ricci’s performance here is similarly committed, but Siverston’s film ultimately fails her.
There is impeccable period piece production design on display here, which Ricci complements with her modern take on a 20th-century housewife. However, whenever the film sporadically switches gears and attempts to scare, it falters. The nail in the coffin is a twist ending that, while interesting in theory, comes undone when thought about too deeply.
The effort from Siverston and screenwriter Carol Chrest to show the difficulties of single motherhood and the long-lasting effects of domestic violence are commendable, but Monstrous is bogged down whenever it returns to the pond and reminds audiences that it is trying to scare them. This is optional programming for your media library’s horror collection.