Film Review: MONSTROUS (2022): Christina Ricci is Back in Top Form with a 1950’s Themed Suspense Picture

Monstrous Review

Monstrous (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Chris Sivertson, written by Carol Chrest and starring Christina Ricci, Santino Barnard, Don Durrell, Colleen Camp, Lew Temple, Carol Anne Watts, Peter Hodge, Nick Vallelonga, Sally Elbert, Rachael Edlow, Neraida Bega, Philip V. Bruenn, Darin Cooper, Matt Lovell, Chris Mullinax, Nancy O’Fallon and Olivia Reid.

Christina Ricci has always been an underappreciated actress. In her latest film, Monstrous, however, it becomes certain that Ricci is talented enough to carry her own dramatic picture. While the movie falls apart a bit when it unveils its last minute surprises, Ricci’s performance never falters and her work keeps the early part of the movie from becoming mundane. Even when Monstrous reveals its unusual open-to-interpretation surprises, the compelling nature of Ricci’s work in this movie is never tarnished.

Monstrous is the story of a woman named Laura (Ricci) who has taken her 7-year-old son Cody (Santino Barnard) to a new home in their beautiful blue car. It feels like the 1950’s and with Laura’s colorful outfits and songs like “Mr. Sandman” and Buddy Holly’s “Everyday” on the film’s soundtrack, the time period is re-created exquisitely. She gets a job as a typist and everything seems to be going smoothly. With visions of herself as a victim of a creature in a televised horror movie, all is not fine, though. This monster and movie resembles Creature from the Black Lagoon which was made in the time period the film seems to be set in. Laura is going through some turmoil which is most likely related to her abusive husband who she has luckily escaped from.

There are many scenes that Ricci makes stand out through her forceful performance. One of the best is when Laura shows up at her son’s school and starts asking the kids on the playground where her boy, Cody, is and if anyone knows who he even is. Having become an alcoholic, Laura is confronted by her boss at one point and must confess the true nature of her drinking which has impacted her work at the company. Ricci skillfully conveys her character’s predicament in both of these scenes which are master classes in dramatic acting.

However, the plot point which is most prominently referenced by the film’s advertising is the one which involves a “monstrous” creature which is terrorizing Cody. While the symbolism of this monster is pivotal to understanding the film’s dramatic center, there is a lot going on in this movie that extends way beyond the creature.

Barnard turns in quite an interesting performance as the terrorized child who we find out didn’t tell his mother that he hadn’t given out the invites to his birthday party in a dramatic scene in the picture. Since Laura believed children were coming to the party, and she then discovers the truth, there is a confrontation between the mother and the son. Ricci commands the screen as she faces off with Cody about his failure to reveal that he didn’t give out the invitations.

Don Durrell and Colleen Camp adequately play the homeowners of the place that Laura and Cody inhabit. When Laura confronts them about problems that are occurring in the house, both Durrell’s and Camp’s performances are believably rendered. Camp, in particular, stands out with her negativity which is credible and reminiscent of the type of person she is portraying.

There are a lot of plot twists here in this film. One of them, which is revealed at a police station after Laura is taken from the playground when she unsuccessfully tries to find Cody, pulls the rug out from everything we have witnessed before and brings the movie to its heightened intensity with a daring, unique climax.

Monstrous offers audiences the chance to see Ricci at the top of her game. While the script may have been able to benefit from having a co-writer, it gives Ricci the opportunity to be at her most dramatic. This picture gives audiences insights into her character’s behavior over the course of the early stages in the movie through the powerful, if somewhat thematically unsatisfying, later scenes.

Those expecting a frightening creature feature with lots of scary effects may be disappointed here but anyone who is a Ricci fan will find this film has rewards that are well worth seeking this movie out. Ricci is one of the most versatile actresses working today and director Chris Sivertson’s Monstrous is all the more noteworthy thanks to Ricci’s fine performance in it.

Rating: 6.5/10

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