Love and Monsters perfectly blends comedy and action in this post-apocalyptic tale set in a world filled with monsters. Pick it up in 4k to experience the breathtaking beauty of the world in which it's set.
“Dylan O’Brien is excellent” in this “super fun adventure comedy” that delivers epic action and laughs. After monsters take over the world, Joel (O’Brien, The Maze Runner) and the rest of humanity are forced to live underground. Believing he’s lost everyone he has ever loved, Joel finds his high school sweetheart Aimee (Jessica Henwick, Game of Thrones) living just 85 miles away. Facing unknown dangers that stand in his way, Joel must discover his inner hero as he makes the impossible journey across a monster-infested land to be with the girl of his dreams. Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War) also star in the film critics are calling “joyous, energetic and incredibly fresh.”
After the people of Earth band together to destroy an asteroid headed straight for the planet, fallout from the missiles drifts back to the surface, infecting cold blooded creatures, causing them to mutate and grow to gigantic sizes, becoming the dominant life-forms on the planet. The film takes place seven years after these events unfold, with Joel living in an underground colony with people who rescued him during the chaos of the evacuations where he lived. While everyone in the group has paired up and defends the colony from constant attack, Joel is left to do the cooking and menial labor thanks to his fear of the outside world. Now after finding his girlfriend of seven years ago living in a colony several days away on foot, Joel reaches a breaking point where he decides he is going to make the journey to hopefully find what everyone else around him has.
Love and Monsters, first and foremost, is a fun take on a coming-of-age film set in a post-apocalyptic world. While not a lot of time is spent on the actual events of the apocalypse save for the short animated introduction, it really is just a setting used to thrust Joel into becoming the man he needs to be in order to find happiness. Still, this new world is breathtaking when we’re given the chance to explore some of it, filled with unique creatures that you may not give a second thought about as you step over them, but when they tower over you are frightening to behold. While the monsters were definitely one of my favorite aspects of the film, the world-building the film does in such a short amount of time is indeed impressive. We don’t know the exact year the film takes place, but small nuances like the technology they use, the MAV1S robots (a highlight of the film) are all used very effectively in painting a realistic picture of this new world, which we learn can be quite beautiful now that civilization has ended.
The character of Joel has a lot to overcome. With the obvious being the monsters and the end of the world, there is more to it than that. His self-confidence, courage, all suffer from the losses he experienced that he hasn’t been able to move on from. His journey is a lot of fun, thanks to the great writing and blend of action/comedy that makes the film stand out. Right away, you get the sense that Dylan O’Brien is going to be an excellent and funny character. He’s perfect at the awkward, sarcastic, frightened character. This being the first time I’ve seen him in anything, I’m hoping we get to see more of him in the future. Jessica Henwick is great in this as well, and although it’s hard to live up to how great she was as Colleen Wing in Iron Fist, probably the only good thing about that show. Out of all the relationships though, none are as special as the one between Joel and the dog, a friendship that builds and gives Joel the courage to continue his journey despite the numerous setbacks he has while on the surface.
Video
Love and Monsters is presented in 4k 2160p Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1 featuring HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The transfer looks exceptional. There is no lack of color in this film, which is why seeing this in 4k is the go-to option given the choice. These colors are rich and vibrant, making this new world you see on the surface that much more magnificent to witness. The Dolby Vision looks incredible, highlighting the brilliant brights and deep darks, ensuring that each scene looks the best it can.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1. While this doesn’t contain an Atmos track, which would have been nice as there was ample opportunity for overhead sources, this 7.1 track nonetheless sounds great as well. You’re losing the range of the overheads, but I felt as though the surrounds were utilized in a great way to give you that immersive feel. There were many times the hiss of an insect traveled instantly from one side of the room to the other, making you feel like you’re in the middle of the action. Balance from the surrounds and center channel are great, with dialogue clear and concise. A great soundtrack, especially during the Jellyfish sequence, round out a great overall audio track.
Special Features
These bonus features are located on the Blu-ray disc only, and include:
- Deleted Scenes
- Bottom of the Food Chain: The Cast of Love and Monsters
- It’s a Monsters World: Creating a Post-Apocalyptic Landscape
Love and Monsters was such a fun film, filled with great action, comedy, and wonderment. Given the state of the industry I find it hard to imagine there could be a precedence for a sequel, but there certainly should be. Pick this one up in 4k to experience the film’s brilliant landscape and unique creatures, because it’s a hell of a lot of fun from start to finish.
