Monsters (2010)

Director:

Gareth Edwards

Writer:

Gareth Edwards (written by)

Release Date:

30 September 2010 (Kazakhstan)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

After Six Years, They're No Longer Aliens. They're Residents.

Plot:

Six years after Earth has suffered an alien invasion a cynical journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through an infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the US border.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Alien | Alien Invasion | Central America | Military

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 9 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Scoot McNairy	...	Andrew Kaulder
Whitney Able	...	Samantha Wynden
Mario Zuniga Benavides	...	Ticket Seller
Annalee Jefferies	...	Homeless Woman
Justin Hall	...	Marine
Ricky Catter	...	Marine
Paul Archer	...	Marine
Kerry Valderrama	...	Marine (as Kerry Valderrema)
Jonathan Winnford	...	Marine
Stan Wong	...	Marine
Anthony Cristo	...	Marine
Mario Richardson	...	Marine
Jorge Quirs	...	Marine
Erick Arce	...	Marine
Emigo Munkel	...	Marine
Esteban Blanco	...	Marine
Victor Vejan	...	Guerilla
Cristopher Chararria	...	Guerilla
Roman Bustamante	...	Guerilla
Solamon Albarran	...	Guerilla
Alejandro Sotero	...	Guerilla
Victorino Angulo	...	Guerilla
David Alba Garcia	...	Guerilla
Eduardo Guizak	...	Guerilla
Alfonso Pineda	...	Guerilla
Jose Garcia Gomez	...	Guerilla
Erika Morales Yolanda Chacon	...	Mother 'Erika', Bocoyna
Elsa Rascon Gonzalez	...	Grandmother, Bocoyna
Jose Luis Morales Chacon	...	Child of Family, Bocoyna
Tamilez Morales Chacon	...	Child of Family, Bocoyna
Jonathan Cadena Chacon	...	Child of Family, Bocoyna
Cindy Vanessa Cadena Morales	...	Child of Family, Bocoyna
Javier Acosta Rodriguez	...	Taxi Driver
Victor Manuel Martinez Tovar	...	Boat Skipper
Walter Hernandez Col	...	Boat Assistant
Kenedy Gamaliel Jiminez	...	Driver of Pick-Up Truck to the Zone (as Kenedy Gamaliel Jimenez)
Hugo Valuerde	...	Motorbike Driver
Roberto Saluzan	...	Ambulance Guy
Ceasn Solauo	...	Ambulance Guy
Aris Martinez	...	Nurse in Maternity Ward
Claudia Valdez	...	Nurse in Maternity Ward
Elizabeth Blanco Sanchez	...	Main Receptionist at Hospital
Gloria Soza	...	Second Receptionist at Hospital
Aura Escobar	...	Third Receptionist at Hospital
Max Alfredo Coe Tux	...	Man at River Guarding Oil Barrels
Ivan Sanchez	...	Man at River Guarding Oil Barrels
Wilfredo Hernandez Alvarado	...	Policeman Guarding Barrier
Ramon Otzoy Sucuc	...	Policeman Guarding Barrier
Erma Bradley	...	Lady Holding Daughter in Flood
Shelmar Bradley	...	Boy in Pink Yop
Luis Cails Sosa Carlos	...	Driver of Red Pick-Up Truck
Rene Moreno Lopez	...	Passenger in Red Pick-Up
Kenia Guadalupe Dominluez Yamas	...	Little Girl in Pick-Up Truck
Jesus Jose Moreno Quezada	...	Boy Playing Soccer
Marta Maria Acatitla Vasquez	...	Corn Seller
Romeo Arista	...	Whistle Blower
Maria Luisa Ontanon	...	Dead Woman in Jungle
Refugio Tapia Rendon	...	Dead Woman in Jungle
Katerine Zyleika Guizar Tapia	...	Dead Girl in Jungle
Joagun Salazan	...	Policeman
Anthony Jimenez Jara	...	Little Boy Riding Bike
Luis Robertomonge Brenes	...	Man at Bar
Oscar Mario Badilla Bora	...	Man at Bar
Neston Herrera	...	Man at Bar
Iserias Antouro Morah	...	Barman at Harbour

Directed by
Gareth Edwards

Writing credits
Gareth Edwards		(written by)

Produced by
Nick Love	....	executive producer
Allan Niblo	....	producer
Rupert Preston	....	executive producer
James Richardson	....	producer
Jim Spencer	....	line producer
Nigel Williams	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jon Hopkins

Cinematography by
Gareth Edwards		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Colin Goudie

Production Design by
Gareth Edwards

Makeup Department
Diana Byrne	....	makeup artist: dailies, guerilla jungle sequence, Mexico

Production Management
Victor Barriga	....	unit production manager: Costa Rica
Rebekka Garrido	....	post-production supervisor
Verity Oswin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maritza Carbajal	....	first assistant director: dailies, guerilla jungle sequence, Mexico

Art Department
Jeffrey Perez	....	art director: dailies, guerilla jungle sequence, Mexico

Sound Department
Laura Andrews	....	adr production site supervisor: SPG Studios
Jose R. Castellon	....	adr technical engineer: SPG Studios (as Jose Castellon)
Jürgen Funk	....	sound designer
Sergio Leigue	....	adr machinist: SPG Studios
Ian Maclagan	....	sound recordist
Sabrina Naumann	....	adr editor
Sabrina Naumann	....	dialogue editor
Carsten Richter	....	foley artist
Matthias Schwab	....	sound re-recording mixer
Almut Schwacke	....	foley editor
Marcus Sujata	....	foley recordist
Daniel Willy	....	adr editor
Daniel Willy	....	adr editor: Rockstar Productions
Daniel Willy	....	adr recording engineer: SPG Studios
Daniel Willy	....	adr recordist
Daniel Willy	....	adr recordist: Rockstar Productions
Daniel Willy	....	adr supervisor
Daniel Willy	....	adr supervisor: Rockstar Productions
Daniel Willy	....	recording engineer
Eric Horstmann	....	re-recording engineer (uncredited)
Jörg Klinkenberg	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Gareth Edwards	....	visual effects

Casting Department
Daniel Willy	....	additional adr voice casting
Daniel Willy	....	additional voice casting
Sarah Dowling	....	extras casting director: Texas (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Caroline Karlen	....	wardrobe: dailies, marine sequence, Texas

Editorial Department
Anne Goudie	....	associate editor
Justin Hall	....	assistant editor
Adam Inglis	....	digital colorist
Alyson Pengelly	....	post-production coordinator
Kevin Shaw	....	digital colorist
Gregor Wille	....	digital intermediate supervisor
Gregor Wille	....	on-line editor

Music Department
Leo Abrahams	....	musician: guitars
Lol Hammond	....	music supervisor
Cherie Hashzume	....	music engineer
Davide Rossi	....	arranger: strings
Davide Rossi	....	musician: strings
Vince Sipprell	....	musician: strings
Vicki Williams	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
David Gonzalez	....	driver: Mexico
Kenedy Gamaliel Jiminez	....	transportation coordinator: Guatemale
Jose P. Soriano	....	driver: Mexico (as Jose Soriano)
Fredy Alexander Vidal Lopez	....	driver: Guatemala

Other crew
Wahida Begum	....	marketing manager
Wahida Begum	....	unit publicist
Chee-Lan Chan	....	development executive: Vertigo Films
Victoria Chapple	....	production assistant: Producers
Hector Crisantes	....	adr supporting artist
Eleazar Del Valle	....	adr supporting artist
Thomas Dixon	....	in-house production assistant
Rachael Ellis	....	technical manager
Emma Hartley	....	development executive: Vertigo Films
Jose Angel Hernandez	....	location manager: USA (as Jose Hernandez)
Stephen Hole	....	head of finance: Vertigo Films
Jamie Jamison	....	adr supporting artist
Louise Killin	....	in-house production coordinator: Vertigo Films
Neil Kindness	....	website manager: Vetrigo Films
Jonathan Kluger	....	adr supporting artist (as Jon Kluger)
Jonathan Kluger	....	marketing assistant: Vertigo Films (as Jon Kluger)
Dwayne Lawson	....	post-production accountant: Vertigo Films
Pedro Luis Martin Gurza	....	adr supporting artist
Luisa María Martínez Arcaraz	....	production assistant: Mexico and Guatemala (as Luisa Martinez)
Brian Patrick McGuire	....	adr supporting artist (as Brian Mcguire)
George McKenzie	....	director: EPK/making-of documentary
Johanna Mohs	....	production assistant: producers
Dexter Navy	....	production runner
Caite Ni'Ceileachair	....	production assistant: producers
Florian Obrecht	....	end credits
Michelle Parylak	....	adr supporting artist
Alyson Pengelly	....	production coordinator
Erika Robledo	....	adr supporting artist
Eduardo Roman	....	adr supporting artist (as Eduardo Iduñate)
Hugo Roque	....	location manager: Costa Rica
Toby Rushton	....	script editor
Cotter Smith	....	voiceover: Tommy
Paola Soriano	....	production assistant: Mexico and Guatemala
Dominic Stabb	....	in-house creative: Vertigo Films
Lee Stone	....	legal services: Lee and Thompson
Victor Vega	....	key production assistant: Costa Rica
Huberta Von Liel	....	operations manager: Vertigo Films
Michael Wailes	....	head of sale and acquisitions: Vertigo Films
Desirae Wallace	....	asst. location manager (tx unit )
Daniel Willy	....	adr supporting artist
Christopher Brown	....	runner/assistant (uncredited)
Christopher Key	....	editor: epk/making-of documentary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Vertigo Films

Distributors

• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Albania) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Bulgaria) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Croatia) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Hungary) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Kosovo) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Republic of Macedonia) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Montenegro) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Romania) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Serbia) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Slovakia) (all media)
• Blue Sky Media (2010) (Slovenia) (all media)
• A-Film Distribution (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Capelight Pictures (2010) (Germany) (theatrical)
• D Films (2010) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Filmauro Distribuzione (2010) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Pictures (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Klock Worx Company, The (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• MVP Entertainment (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Magnet Releasing (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• SND (2010) (France) (theatrical)
• Vertigo Films (2010) (UK) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Belgium) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Avalon (2010) (Spain) (all media)
• Capelight Pictures (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Capelight Pictures (2011) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• CatchPlay (2010) (Taiwan) (all media)
• EDKO Film (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2010) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Madman Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2010) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Magnolia Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Magnolia Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (UK) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (DVD)
• One Movie (2011) (Italy) (all media)
• Pris Audiovisuais (2011) (Portugal) (all media)
• Queen Film (2010) (Indonesia) (all media)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2011) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Volga Film (2010) (Russia) (all media)

Special Effects

• TurboSquid (3D models)

Other Companies

• Adobe Systems  special thanks (as Adobe)
• Armari  computers
• Cafe Music Studios  music recording studio
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Intel  effects rendered and edited using the Intel 'Xeon' Processor 5500 Series
• Ixta Productions  production services: Mexico and Guatemala
• Lee and Thompson Solicitors  legal services (as Lee and Thompson)
• Media Insurance Brokers  insurance
• PS-PostScript  post production script
• Post Republic, The  post-production facilities
• Rockstar Productions  adr studio
• SPG Studios  adr studio
• Tonstudio Hanse Warns  foley stage
• VB Film Production Services  production services: Costa Rica

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #46297) | UK:12A | Malaysia:18 | Ireland:12A | Australia:M | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:12 | Mexico:B | Finland:K-13 | France:U

Filming Locations:

Yaxha, Maya ruins, Guatemala

Company:

Vertigo Films

Trivia:

The scene with the submerged plane in the river was based on a real life experience the director had in North Queensland. While on a tourist crocodile watching tour he witnessed a crocodile playing with a bloated, dead pig around the boat.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Samantha asks Andrew about his son he states that he will be 6 yrs old tomorrow when his birthday is actually that very day because the night before he called his son to wish him a happy birthday and he said he was calling then because he wouldn't be able to call tomorrow.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Title Card:Six years ago... NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A space probe was launched to collect samples but broke up during re-entry over Mexico. Soon after new life forms began to appear and half of the was quarantined as an INFECTED ZONE. Today... The Mexican & US military still struggle to contain 'the creatures'...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Great Movie Mistakes III: Not in 3D (2011) (TV)

Soundtrack:

El Cascabel

Less like a geographical reboot of D-9 and more like an art-house Cloverfield or a blockbuster Stalker

While there have been plenty of valid comparisons made between this film and last year's sci-fi hit District - 9 (due solely to the fact that the two films share an admittedly similar global concept; that of aliens landing and being contained within a restricted zone as a forced but entertaining allegory for racial disharmony. There the zone was in central South Africa and here it is the northernmost section of Mexico, the borderlands.) I think the media have missed the much more obvious filmic connections. To my mind this film is in fact less like a geographical reboot of D-9 and more like an art-house Cloverfield or perhaps a blockbuster Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky's epically sparse sci-fi classic). While the concept and metaphor certainly match that of District – 9 the closest the execution sways it further towards a combination of the latter two examples.

Instead of attempting to tell the story of a fictional universe using a number of cipher characters like D-9, this film instead tells the story of its two leads by way of its alien infestation. The titular monsters certainly are an integral force in crafting and driving the films narrative but they are not its real focus, this is where the two films differ. Instead we are made to follow American investigate journalist Colbert who is tasked by his employer to find and then accompany his daughter through the infected zone and into the United States before the beginning of the creature's active season.

It's a sparse plot and one that leads to a lot less action than you would expect, but it does work as the spinal centre of the film. Instead of confronting the creatures at every turn, discovering their origin, their weakness, their queen and then eventually using their knowledge to develop a dues ex machina and save the day like the big damn heroes of every similar film, these two simply exist in the universe like we do ours; as everyday citizens living their everyday lives. That's not to say though that the film is in any way banal; in fact their journey through the zone allows for a lot of stunning shots, shocking stories and silent terror, it's just that these occur in a different tense then we are used to. We are, like the protagonist Colbert, journalists in this world; we follow in the wake of the story, catching occasional glimpses of it from afar but mainly focusing on who and what it leaves behind.

The monsters, their destruction and the alternate world that they destroy are all filtered through the protagonists before they reach us upon the screen. It is their reactions to the events that elicit responses in us and their responses that in turn become our emotions. It is essential that the two leads be well crafted in order for this method to work. Thankfully then, they are; Hitting that perfect ratio of realism, stereotype, flaw and likability. They are the kind of characters that you would happily follow within the comparatively banal confines of a drama and so here, in this realm of heightened stakes, they become doubly interesting. The real surprise of the film for me was just how enjoyable, and oftentimes moving, it was to take this trip with the leads; to the point that by the time the ending rolled around I almost echoed their calls of 'I don't want to go home'. That dreaded disillusionment, the return to drudgery after a distinctly powerful event is something I can really understand but it is something uncommon to see in cinemas. Edwards isn't the only person to be thanked for this though; while his writing is great it's the two lead performances that are really essential and I think these two will be ones too watch in the future.

While I've made it quite clear that personally I preferred the human side of the story - that I could take or leave the monsters in comparison – i know there are many others around here who will not feel the same, others that are in it for the monsters (Spaulds certainly comes to mind). While I wouldn't advise taking that particular approach with this particular film, I don't think any of you creature features that do will be disappointed with what you see – and yes, you do see. The creatures are as well designed and animated as the characters. They feel totally alien to this world yet retain a certain sense of plausibility, as if they could feasibly belong to some other. Their power is also very well handled, being threatening enough in every situation but invincible in none. There is then a consistency to them that doesn't exist in a lot of other creatures, which sometimes feel like they are acting in accordance with the plot rather than their own rules or reality. While this may get some of you salivating I have to say again that well designed or no these creatures are little more than an external force, they exist off screen much more than on.

It is then, an ironically titled film I guess because the Monsters of the title are anything but central. I think the real test should be whether or not you would go and see this film were it called 'Humans'. Those that do, more specifically those that make their way all the way through to the final act, will be in for a treat as the film has a handful of utterly sublime moments. The ending itself was a little abrupt but I think it's pretty clever, probably warranting a second watch. Definitely warranting a first watch.