“Love and Monsters” Is A Blast For Audiences
By Kevin Conley II, Staff Writer
Love and Monsters is an action, adventure, post apocalyptic film starring Dylan O’Brien, Michael Rooker, Jessica Henwick, and Ariana Greenblatt. The film is about a survivor named Joel (played by Dylan O’ Brian) who had spent 7 years in a bunker with a colony after a major event caused the apocalypse and mutated animals like amphibians, insects, and reptiles to take over the world.
He embarks on a journey 85 miles from his colony to find his girlfriend Aimee (played by Jessica Henwick), along with a dog named Boy and two survivors (played by Michael Rooker and Ariana Greenblatt). Along the way he learns how to survive the apocalypse, find his place in the world, and find his true love.
“Love and Monsters” is a funny, action-packed, post-apocalyptic film that will leave audiences at the edge of their seat (in their own home). Dylan O’ Brian steals the show, bringing charisma, charm and emotion to the film, in a year where entertainment is more needed than ever.
The film also shines with its story. Fast-paced editing gives audiences a slick, entertaining, and fun story to watch. While “Love and Monsters” does thrive in part because of its brilliantly cast protagonist, the film also succeeds because of its art design. The movie, which features giant monsters roaming through the city, includes incredible designs for the monsters.
Each creature that appears in the film consists of amphibians, insects, and reptiles, and each time our protagonist encounters each one. The slow building suspense and intense thrills will leave audiences entertained throughout the film.
However, the biggest surprise of the film is the film’s dog, Boy. Boy is what builds the film’s personality. Boy was played by two trained dogs Hero and Dodge, and their training for the film affects the story by changing the way animals are brought in live action films today.
Boy is an important role in the film as he forms a friendship with Joel, being treated more as a character rather than as an animal. This element is what truly makes this film original, excluding the plot itself. “Love and Monsters” may surprise fans of the romcom genre, as its stellar cast remains among the most underrated in a film in years.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, “Love and Monsters” had to be released digitally, rather than in cinemas, as many theaters remain shuttered throughout the country. The film remains a shining example of everything movies can and should be, and it’s one of the best of this year.
The script, fun action, and hilarious laughs make “Love and Monsters an experience not worth missing. If someone is in the mood to watch a fun, action-packed monster movie that may go down as one of the best survival films in quite some time, this is the film for them.