Fist off, this is a good film. Let me get that out of the way. To h*ll with the haters. It's smart. Clever. Unique. If you pay attention there are plenty of gags. Hathaway shines and all the rest. It's just NOT the film the trailers lead people to believe, and I really hate that. The trailers filled seats with people who were expecting to see some quirky romcom and instead they got 'Annie Darko' and wound up hating it. And this is a major pet peeve of mine. The same thing happened with "White God" This kind of advertising always backfires. The PR dpt just puts together any trailer they think will fill the seats on opening night, then it brings the wrong audience and hurts the film in the long run. Colossal should have been advertised like "Motorama" or "The Dark Backwards"... or "Eating Raul". It's a dark edgy comedy and it's not supposed to be of the 'wacky wild hilarity' genre'. OK, it's not a life altering cinema, but it is far better than most of the critiques I've read. And one thing all those critiques had in common...? They all said it wasn't what they were expecting, or it couldn't figure out what it wanted to be. Wrong. The film was exactly what it was trying to be. The viewers just couldn't figure out what it was doing because they all thought it was trying to do something else.... primarily because of the way it was presented. Not that it's easy to describe. Just abandon your preconceived notions before you watch. I actually like it better than the film I thought it would be.
400 Reviews
Curious fantasy drama is flawed but still worth a look
soxlade29 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Colossal is a film from Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo. It stars Anne Hathaway as Gloria, a thirty-something wastrel who would much rather be out all night drinking with her friends than growing up, getting a job etc.
When she is dumped by her boyfriend (Dan Stevens, channeling Hugh Grant) and kicked out of the flat they share, she returns to her hometown and the rental house her parents own where she almost immediately meets old school friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) who not only has always had feelings for his old school friend, but also happens to own a bar and employs Gloria as a waitress.
One drunken evening ends with Gloria spending the night on a playground bench, the same night a giant monster appears over Seoul wreaking havoc. Gloria slowly begins to realise that she may have something to do with this event, in fact the monster may actually be her...
This is a strange film, let's be frank - you ain't going to see something like this again this, or any, year. It is like a Godzilla film seen through the prism of indie self-improvement films like Garden State. Or, if you prefer, something akin to Juno with a Kaiju.
It is a film that is a little unsure of itself, despite the brilliant idea at its core. It is not a comedy, though it is fitfully amusing and the presence of Sudeikis, nor is it a 'growing up' movie, instead it is closer to a monster movie, but the monsters involved are not necessarily the obvious green stompy thing flattening Seoul, more the monsters that live within each and every one of us. However it never quite pulls all of its themes and plot threads together satisfactorily, perhaps it never could, and its tone is a little uneven in places. This is a film that does not go where you think the premise might take it. This is a surprisingly dark film, with unapologetic, unlikable characters that are obsessed with nihilistic, destructive emotions and struggle to repress and control them when really they wish to embrace them.
Hathaway, as far away from her traditional elfin princess appearance as she's ever been, is effective as Gloria, though we never really warm to her. It is a measure of the actress's skill that we are clearly not meant to ever love and root for Gloria, but we do wish the best for her, we hope she makes the 'right' choices that would assist her goal to get her life under control even though we know, deep down, she's hopeless. Peering out from under an unflattering fringe, hair unkempt and unbrushed, black eye make-up and cracked lips she bears an uncanny resemblance to UK TV presenter Claudia Winkleman. Hers is a performance of charm, darkness, obsession, addiction and cruelty.
The revelation is Sudeikis who initially delivers his standard, unimpressive, nice guy schtick- a performance he is very good at, it's just not hugely stand-out - but as the film, and Oscar, take a darker tone, Sudeikis subtly shifts gear, moving into menace and threat. It is an unstable performance, shifting suddenly and violently between nice guy and monster A man unhappy with his life, Oscar the bar owner is a thin veneer of respectability and decency wrapped around a cruel narcissistic bully. Sudeikis brilliantly shows the veneer cracking, splitting and revealing the monster that inhabits the man. It is a very impressive performance.
The dark themes, twisted characters and bonkers premise was never going to be completed satisfactorily, and it isn't. The plot demands the mystery is resolved and the threat dealt with and the film does so, but not as neatly or imaginatively as you might hope. It proves impossible to reconcile the two parts of the story, monster in Seoul and monster in soul, in a way that serves both threads well. It is hard to root for Gloria as she finally steps up the the heroine role the monster in Seoul story thread demands, because we've seen she's really a bit of a hopeless selfish drunken stupid girl.
Colossal is imaginative, flawed film blessed with exceptional performances from Stevens, Hathaway and especially Sudeikis. It is not a comedy, it is not a monster movie (though there are loads of loving homages in shots and music cues), it is not an indie redemption movie, it is all of those things together, and it is not a total success, but nor is it a total failure. It is a curiosity, and if you are cinematically curious, you should check it out.
When she is dumped by her boyfriend (Dan Stevens, channeling Hugh Grant) and kicked out of the flat they share, she returns to her hometown and the rental house her parents own where she almost immediately meets old school friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) who not only has always had feelings for his old school friend, but also happens to own a bar and employs Gloria as a waitress.
One drunken evening ends with Gloria spending the night on a playground bench, the same night a giant monster appears over Seoul wreaking havoc. Gloria slowly begins to realise that she may have something to do with this event, in fact the monster may actually be her...
This is a strange film, let's be frank - you ain't going to see something like this again this, or any, year. It is like a Godzilla film seen through the prism of indie self-improvement films like Garden State. Or, if you prefer, something akin to Juno with a Kaiju.
It is a film that is a little unsure of itself, despite the brilliant idea at its core. It is not a comedy, though it is fitfully amusing and the presence of Sudeikis, nor is it a 'growing up' movie, instead it is closer to a monster movie, but the monsters involved are not necessarily the obvious green stompy thing flattening Seoul, more the monsters that live within each and every one of us. However it never quite pulls all of its themes and plot threads together satisfactorily, perhaps it never could, and its tone is a little uneven in places. This is a film that does not go where you think the premise might take it. This is a surprisingly dark film, with unapologetic, unlikable characters that are obsessed with nihilistic, destructive emotions and struggle to repress and control them when really they wish to embrace them.
Hathaway, as far away from her traditional elfin princess appearance as she's ever been, is effective as Gloria, though we never really warm to her. It is a measure of the actress's skill that we are clearly not meant to ever love and root for Gloria, but we do wish the best for her, we hope she makes the 'right' choices that would assist her goal to get her life under control even though we know, deep down, she's hopeless. Peering out from under an unflattering fringe, hair unkempt and unbrushed, black eye make-up and cracked lips she bears an uncanny resemblance to UK TV presenter Claudia Winkleman. Hers is a performance of charm, darkness, obsession, addiction and cruelty.
The revelation is Sudeikis who initially delivers his standard, unimpressive, nice guy schtick- a performance he is very good at, it's just not hugely stand-out - but as the film, and Oscar, take a darker tone, Sudeikis subtly shifts gear, moving into menace and threat. It is an unstable performance, shifting suddenly and violently between nice guy and monster A man unhappy with his life, Oscar the bar owner is a thin veneer of respectability and decency wrapped around a cruel narcissistic bully. Sudeikis brilliantly shows the veneer cracking, splitting and revealing the monster that inhabits the man. It is a very impressive performance.
The dark themes, twisted characters and bonkers premise was never going to be completed satisfactorily, and it isn't. The plot demands the mystery is resolved and the threat dealt with and the film does so, but not as neatly or imaginatively as you might hope. It proves impossible to reconcile the two parts of the story, monster in Seoul and monster in soul, in a way that serves both threads well. It is hard to root for Gloria as she finally steps up the the heroine role the monster in Seoul story thread demands, because we've seen she's really a bit of a hopeless selfish drunken stupid girl.
Colossal is imaginative, flawed film blessed with exceptional performances from Stevens, Hathaway and especially Sudeikis. It is not a comedy, it is not a monster movie (though there are loads of loving homages in shots and music cues), it is not an indie redemption movie, it is all of those things together, and it is not a total success, but nor is it a total failure. It is a curiosity, and if you are cinematically curious, you should check it out.
This is a love-it or hate-it movie.
nancyldraper23 August 2018
This is a love-it or hate-it movie. If you were looking for a RomCom or Kaiju movie, you may be in the hate-it camp. If, however, you want the clever outworking of a dark metaphor presenting itself as a mystery, you may have found a film you can appreciate. That might, also, have been the draw for the cast. Unusual roles for all the actors, performed well. Anne Hathaway held our attention. In terms of storytelling, there were times when the metaphor and the mystery collided with each other and the audience may be left (ironically) scratching their heads, trying to fit the pieces together. With that said, I am giving this film a 7 (clever) out of 10. {A Dark Metaphor}
Waste of an excellent idea
zevt16 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Good, unusual and entertaining idea, mixing together dark character drama with comedy, sci-fi, and Kaiju fun in a near-surreal mix. Unfortunately this movie has the same big flaws as Vigalondo's earlier movies: He has good ideas but is horrible with character work. He always sacrifices characters towards his ideas and plots, and they end up chaotic and inhuman. These people make no sense:
"I just killed a million Koreans. Oops. What should I do? I know! I'll get drunk again and show my new friends how cool it is to mass murder."
"I'm going to have a hissy fit and kill a million Koreans just because it makes me feel big and because I want to control a girl. But in between I am going to be super nice to her, support her, give her tons of things for her house and give her a job."
"I love my boyfriend even though he dumped me and wish he would take me bac... hey let's sleep with some random cute guy in the bar and have fun!"
"How should I stop him from killing Koreans? Should I get my friends to hold him down? Demonstrate this phenomenon to the police and have him arrested? Maybe sit with him and convince him not to commit mass-murder? Nah, I'll go to Korea and kill him."
"I had to dump her because she was intolerable when drunk. But now that she is even worse and slept with other people, I want her back."
Etc.
And none of them are even remotely convincing as drunks. Maybe if they actually acted like obliviously self-destructive drunks it would have helped a bit.
Somebody should re-use this idea in a better movie.
"I just killed a million Koreans. Oops. What should I do? I know! I'll get drunk again and show my new friends how cool it is to mass murder."
"I'm going to have a hissy fit and kill a million Koreans just because it makes me feel big and because I want to control a girl. But in between I am going to be super nice to her, support her, give her tons of things for her house and give her a job."
"I love my boyfriend even though he dumped me and wish he would take me bac... hey let's sleep with some random cute guy in the bar and have fun!"
"How should I stop him from killing Koreans? Should I get my friends to hold him down? Demonstrate this phenomenon to the police and have him arrested? Maybe sit with him and convince him not to commit mass-murder? Nah, I'll go to Korea and kill him."
"I had to dump her because she was intolerable when drunk. But now that she is even worse and slept with other people, I want her back."
Etc.
And none of them are even remotely convincing as drunks. Maybe if they actually acted like obliviously self-destructive drunks it would have helped a bit.
Somebody should re-use this idea in a better movie.
Solidly engaging film may leave you with a couple of questions after its over, but Hathaway and Sudekis do terrific work
mbs29 March 2017
Attended a preview screening of this courtesy of a friend the other night with zero idea of what the movie was about so imagine to my surprise that it was a wry take on a Godzilla movie but with a seriously intriguing and rather perplexing narrative hook. If you're reading this right now, you're either deciding whether to see this, or you've already seen this and are looking for opinions on what other people thought.
Without spoiling anything I'll just say that i thought the director (who also wrote the script) does an impressive job of keeping you into the story being told, and just slightly off track as to what's around the bend story wise. There were a couple times watching this where I thought i knew where the story was going to go, but ended up being somewhat off the mark. As the movie kept going I also started to wonder how the heck the director was going to bring this thing to a satisfying ending, and the answer to that question was with a fantastic climactic sequence that i very much liked watching unfold but didn't quite hit the mark in terms of satisfying to me, but somehow still felt quite right in keeping in tone with what we had been watching the whole time.
So basically i'm just saying--its worth checking out but with some slight reservations about the story as it unfolded. (I personally thought the big reveal about the origins of the monster's appearance was a little too symbolic and mystical and out of the blue, but other people might like how its explained)
All that said, the main concept of the movie i thought was pretty superb, and I thought Anne Hathaway in a kind of role we rarely if ever see her play was excellent and does a tremendous job in a very difficult role. If you don't like her, you'll end up hating the movie because she is a very large component of the movie. I thought even tho her character is aimless, she did a terrific job of keeping her likable throughout, even when you're kind of cringing at some of the decisions she makes on screen. Similarly, i thought the performance of Jason Sudekis was also surprisingly good. He starts out the film the way you normally see him in films, as the seemingly good hart-ed, wry, slightly bumbling slob, but as the story unfolds and he gradually starts to change those very qualities ever so subtly, it may not be til very late in the film or possibly thinking about it on the way home that you realize how strong a job he did as well playing opposite Hathaway. (Dan Stevens for the record has a very smallish part so if you're going to see this specifically for him, you might be disappointed)
In closing i'll just say that if you already know the premise to the film and are wondering whether or not its for you, I'll just say that if you like slightly out there premises, you should check this out because overall despite again some narrative choices I might not have been too crazy about, i thought it was a very solidly engaging movie, and for what its worth, I didn't think it was too strange to appeal to people who think that this may be too far out there for their comfort zones/slightly more mainstream tastes.
Without spoiling anything I'll just say that i thought the director (who also wrote the script) does an impressive job of keeping you into the story being told, and just slightly off track as to what's around the bend story wise. There were a couple times watching this where I thought i knew where the story was going to go, but ended up being somewhat off the mark. As the movie kept going I also started to wonder how the heck the director was going to bring this thing to a satisfying ending, and the answer to that question was with a fantastic climactic sequence that i very much liked watching unfold but didn't quite hit the mark in terms of satisfying to me, but somehow still felt quite right in keeping in tone with what we had been watching the whole time.
So basically i'm just saying--its worth checking out but with some slight reservations about the story as it unfolded. (I personally thought the big reveal about the origins of the monster's appearance was a little too symbolic and mystical and out of the blue, but other people might like how its explained)
All that said, the main concept of the movie i thought was pretty superb, and I thought Anne Hathaway in a kind of role we rarely if ever see her play was excellent and does a tremendous job in a very difficult role. If you don't like her, you'll end up hating the movie because she is a very large component of the movie. I thought even tho her character is aimless, she did a terrific job of keeping her likable throughout, even when you're kind of cringing at some of the decisions she makes on screen. Similarly, i thought the performance of Jason Sudekis was also surprisingly good. He starts out the film the way you normally see him in films, as the seemingly good hart-ed, wry, slightly bumbling slob, but as the story unfolds and he gradually starts to change those very qualities ever so subtly, it may not be til very late in the film or possibly thinking about it on the way home that you realize how strong a job he did as well playing opposite Hathaway. (Dan Stevens for the record has a very smallish part so if you're going to see this specifically for him, you might be disappointed)
In closing i'll just say that if you already know the premise to the film and are wondering whether or not its for you, I'll just say that if you like slightly out there premises, you should check this out because overall despite again some narrative choices I might not have been too crazy about, i thought it was a very solidly engaging movie, and for what its worth, I didn't think it was too strange to appeal to people who think that this may be too far out there for their comfort zones/slightly more mainstream tastes.
Man! That was strange.
subxerogravity18 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
So strange it's hard to say weather it's good or bad, it's just weird. Then again, it's a really good weird because you know, Giant monsters are in it. You can never go wrong with the Kaiju as they are known in Japan and not Korea where the Giant monsters end up in Colossal. Anne Hathaway plays a woman who comes back home after being kicked in the face not wrongly by life and reconnects with her old friend, played by Jason Sudeikis, and while home she discovers the oddest thing. At 8:05am every day if she's standing in the park next to her old elementary school a Giant monster will appear in Seoul Korea that she is somehow linked to. It's like being John Malkovich meets Godzilla or something. Once again Jason Sudeikis is the money maker for me, proving that he's got some real star power. It was a brilliant turn as a man whose life got stuck and watching someone else like Anne Hathaway's character live her's despite failing badly at it, leaves him with a bitterness that he cannot hide for long. As Oscar, Sudeikis was just a very unique character to watch on the screen. Despite the plot about Giant Monsters hitting the far East, which really put this movie out there, Colossal has going for it a very grounded story about being away for something for so long that you forgotten why you tried so hard to avoid it, then realizing exactly why you did. It's a lesson on getting over the things that cause self abuse and hold you down. A very loud and clear lesson done in the strangest way possible.
Interesting premise, but ultimately hollow and uneven
JTBond29 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I get the premise, and I get the connections to the kayju genre. That gets the movie out the door, and keeps things moving. Where this movie falls flat is the characters and plot development. Other reviewers have nailed it: It's as if the middle of the movie was missing.
*Spoilers below*
You have very flawed, but bordering on real characters, and then within a blink of an eye, one turns into pure evil. And not only that, but the character has always been this way? You get one flashback that begins to set that up, but then ultimately delivers nothing. I didn't believe his transition, and even if I'd wanted to, the movie only gives you about 20 minutes to come to terms with it, before it ends.
They tease out interesting concepts – e.g. "I got drunk and, because of that, my kayju avatar killed a bunch of people." The moment they start to explore that, the movie races to the finish line, and skips over a needed section of character and plot development.
Ultimately, I felt like I'd received the appetizer and dessert, but the restaurant forgot my entree.
*Spoilers below*
You have very flawed, but bordering on real characters, and then within a blink of an eye, one turns into pure evil. And not only that, but the character has always been this way? You get one flashback that begins to set that up, but then ultimately delivers nothing. I didn't believe his transition, and even if I'd wanted to, the movie only gives you about 20 minutes to come to terms with it, before it ends.
They tease out interesting concepts – e.g. "I got drunk and, because of that, my kayju avatar killed a bunch of people." The moment they start to explore that, the movie races to the finish line, and skips over a needed section of character and plot development.
Ultimately, I felt like I'd received the appetizer and dessert, but the restaurant forgot my entree.
Underrated
85122230 August 2017
Greetings from Lithuania.
I found "Colossal" (2016) much more interesting, dark and deep then i thought i will be after reading a premise. This isn't your typical comedy staring Jason Sudeikis - it isn't funny movie, except if you are looking for some very dark comedy.
Premise here looks like from a mind of Spike Jonze of Charlie Kaufman. Although it isn't as brilliant as those two might have made this movie - i loved the story overall and movie itself.
Ovreall, "Colossal" is a kinda fresh take on a premise. There is a very dark humor down below, but i enjoyed it very much in a first place because of very solid writing, pacing (at running time 1 h 43 min this movie never dragged) and not by "a numbers" movie. Good, underrated movie.
I found "Colossal" (2016) much more interesting, dark and deep then i thought i will be after reading a premise. This isn't your typical comedy staring Jason Sudeikis - it isn't funny movie, except if you are looking for some very dark comedy.
Premise here looks like from a mind of Spike Jonze of Charlie Kaufman. Although it isn't as brilliant as those two might have made this movie - i loved the story overall and movie itself.
Ovreall, "Colossal" is a kinda fresh take on a premise. There is a very dark humor down below, but i enjoyed it very much in a first place because of very solid writing, pacing (at running time 1 h 43 min this movie never dragged) and not by "a numbers" movie. Good, underrated movie.
Numerous plot holes in a sad uneven premise.
Dr_Sagan6 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I wasn't sure if it was better to write a spoiler-free review, but ultimately this movie is a waste of time so I will spoil it for you in an effort to keep you away from it.
In a nutshell, both Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis can control with their movements 2 giant Godzilla-ish entities, a monster and a robot, which are mysteriously appeared in S. Korea, creating havoc!
The reason for that goes 25 years back, when their characters were kids and have their school projects (a miniature "city" each with the monster and the robot respectively) destroyed because of a freaky storm-like event on their way to school.
In the end **Ending Spoiler ahead** Anne Hathaway KILLS Jason Sudeikis, to stop him for destroying Seoul, something he wanted to do because ...he hated himself!!!
OK. There are countless plot-holes in this that I won't bother you with. However from the beginning you have the feeling that this movie must (?) have a deeper meaning, like, both characters are alcoholic-ish and disappointed from their lives, so the monsters might have something to do with that. Maybe a hidden moral for the way you treat others and feeling sorry for yourself.
Unfortunately this is NOT the case. No moral or even a bottom line here. And the, plain and simple, MURDER of Sudeikis's character pollutes and destroys any virtues Hathaway's character might have tried to show.
Overall: Because of the weird premise (2 people to control 2 monsters on the other corner of the planet) you might want to watch it for an explanation. Believe me, it's not worth the trouble. As a movie it's not entertaining either, despite its 2 well known stars. The ending is dressed as a "happy ending" but in reality it is a sad one.
.
In a nutshell, both Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis can control with their movements 2 giant Godzilla-ish entities, a monster and a robot, which are mysteriously appeared in S. Korea, creating havoc!
The reason for that goes 25 years back, when their characters were kids and have their school projects (a miniature "city" each with the monster and the robot respectively) destroyed because of a freaky storm-like event on their way to school.
In the end **Ending Spoiler ahead** Anne Hathaway KILLS Jason Sudeikis, to stop him for destroying Seoul, something he wanted to do because ...he hated himself!!!
OK. There are countless plot-holes in this that I won't bother you with. However from the beginning you have the feeling that this movie must (?) have a deeper meaning, like, both characters are alcoholic-ish and disappointed from their lives, so the monsters might have something to do with that. Maybe a hidden moral for the way you treat others and feeling sorry for yourself.
Unfortunately this is NOT the case. No moral or even a bottom line here. And the, plain and simple, MURDER of Sudeikis's character pollutes and destroys any virtues Hathaway's character might have tried to show.
Overall: Because of the weird premise (2 people to control 2 monsters on the other corner of the planet) you might want to watch it for an explanation. Believe me, it's not worth the trouble. As a movie it's not entertaining either, despite its 2 well known stars. The ending is dressed as a "happy ending" but in reality it is a sad one.
.
Monster Stalking Seoul and a Woman's Heart
Blue-Grotto29 September 2016
Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is a mess. Her existence revolves around drinking, sleeping and abusive men. Dumped by her boyfriend, Gloria returns to her hometown in a half-hearted attempt to begin again. She continues to be a sucker for abuse. The men in Gloria's life, each controlling in their own way, manipulate her will-power as much as the alcohol.
At about the same time a gigantic monster begins stalking Seoul. Gloria discovers a connection between this monster, herself and her tragic relationships with men and the bottle.
Endearing qualities of the film include touching scenes, powerful underlying themes and independent charm. Yet the storyline is disjointed and lacks effective transitions. Gaps need to be filled in the writing/directing. Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis and Tim Blake Nelson are fun to watch, yet Nelson seems somewhat restrained. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.
At about the same time a gigantic monster begins stalking Seoul. Gloria discovers a connection between this monster, herself and her tragic relationships with men and the bottle.
Endearing qualities of the film include touching scenes, powerful underlying themes and independent charm. Yet the storyline is disjointed and lacks effective transitions. Gaps need to be filled in the writing/directing. Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis and Tim Blake Nelson are fun to watch, yet Nelson seems somewhat restrained. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Colossal Misfire
LordJiggy17 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Wanted to like it, swear I did. Great concept (Anne Hathaway? Goofy monster in Seoul? Cool, I'll check it out). I mean, IMDb called it SF and Comedy.
But, ah...no. It was as if the makers could never decide what this film was? Was it a parable about how drinking can ruin your life?
Nope. Okay, was it something about the monsters that live inside us?
No so much. Good, dependable actors, doing their best in service to a misbegotten idea. Who thought "Hey, we can make a comedy about a relationship that turns abusive...and we get to punch Ann Hathaway a couple of times!"
The tone shifts were jarring and poorly thought out...and just made it a waste of not only the viewer's time, but the actors', as well. Skip it.
But, ah...no. It was as if the makers could never decide what this film was? Was it a parable about how drinking can ruin your life?
Nope. Okay, was it something about the monsters that live inside us?
No so much. Good, dependable actors, doing their best in service to a misbegotten idea. Who thought "Hey, we can make a comedy about a relationship that turns abusive...and we get to punch Ann Hathaway a couple of times!"
The tone shifts were jarring and poorly thought out...and just made it a waste of not only the viewer's time, but the actors', as well. Skip it.
Delightful 'Absurdist' Film -- Hathaway Soars
A_Different_Drummer28 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
In my many of my prior reviews I have "beaten the drum" on one particular theme -- namely, that back in the days before CGI and the studios' ravenous hunger for new franchises to monetize indefinitely, films worked based on the ability of the director and the stars to "connect" with the audience.
One word. Connection. But the implications can be astounding.
Colossal, for example, reminded me of 1966's Georgy Girl, oddly also a story about a young girl whose Life needs a complete remake, and she more or less has to start over from scratch.
Georgy Girl was a major hit in the 1960s -- without any sci-fi elements or SFX -- because, somewhere around the 5 minute mark, everyone in the theatre, even the guys, began to identify with the character. In other words, connection. Once you have connection, anything is possible.
Recommended. Sit back. Think of times in your own life when all four wheels fell off the wagon. Enjoy it.
And pay special attention to Hathaway's wonderful performance. For an A-list star who was weaned in the Disney studio, and held her own against Batman, she dons a hairdo that looks like it was done by a local vet ... and then proceeds to sell the role so effectively that, after a while, you honestly wonder if anyone else could have played the lead?
One word. Connection. But the implications can be astounding.
Colossal, for example, reminded me of 1966's Georgy Girl, oddly also a story about a young girl whose Life needs a complete remake, and she more or less has to start over from scratch.
Georgy Girl was a major hit in the 1960s -- without any sci-fi elements or SFX -- because, somewhere around the 5 minute mark, everyone in the theatre, even the guys, began to identify with the character. In other words, connection. Once you have connection, anything is possible.
Recommended. Sit back. Think of times in your own life when all four wheels fell off the wagon. Enjoy it.
And pay special attention to Hathaway's wonderful performance. For an A-list star who was weaned in the Disney studio, and held her own against Batman, she dons a hairdo that looks like it was done by a local vet ... and then proceeds to sell the role so effectively that, after a while, you honestly wonder if anyone else could have played the lead?
A solid original
ReelLifeReviews22 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Colossal - Surrounded by endless sequels and pointless remakes, Colossal stands tall as a truly unique film. A slow start and some stark tonal shifts not withstanding, this was a pleasant surprise.
Anne Hathaway can be hit or miss for me, but she was excellent here. She plays a blackout-prone alcoholic that for some reason can conjure a giant monster that destroys parts of Korea. Remember when I said this was a unique film? She presents great range with her character, easily juggling between being quirky, powerful, funny, and completely vulnerable. Oscars might be pushing it, but I'd say she would be almost a lock for a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy.
That's the other thing; this movie was almost entirely advertised as a comedy. There are definitely comedic elements throughout, but it marches headstrong through some pretty heavy territory. There were times where I felt downright uncomfortable with actions taken by certain characters.
Jason Sudeikis plays opposite of Anne Hathaway and really brings it with his performance. I haven't had a big sample size of his work, only catching him in bit parts or in a few sketches on SNL years ago, but I was impressed. His character arc seemed a little rushed, however. I didn't feel like he had a chance to portray a natural progression.
As stated previously, this movie takes a while to find its footing. The first 20 minutes or so is just one long introduction of Hathaway's character that seemed far too drawn out. There is a side character that is basically just a fly on the wall and makes zero impact to the story as a whole. They are put in situations where any rational human being would do, or at the very least say, something to help, but it's like they aren't even present. There were two major moments in the film that were almost illogical due to their inaction.
Stories like this deserve an audience. We clamor for originality at the theater, but when we're offered a title that isn't a popular IP or doesn't include a cinematic universe, the empty seats speak far louder. This isn't a perfect film, but it's definitely worth your time. Is it a little on the nose that it's a story about an alcoholic destroying the world around her? Sure. But it's all in the execution.
Anne Hathaway can be hit or miss for me, but she was excellent here. She plays a blackout-prone alcoholic that for some reason can conjure a giant monster that destroys parts of Korea. Remember when I said this was a unique film? She presents great range with her character, easily juggling between being quirky, powerful, funny, and completely vulnerable. Oscars might be pushing it, but I'd say she would be almost a lock for a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy.
That's the other thing; this movie was almost entirely advertised as a comedy. There are definitely comedic elements throughout, but it marches headstrong through some pretty heavy territory. There were times where I felt downright uncomfortable with actions taken by certain characters.
Jason Sudeikis plays opposite of Anne Hathaway and really brings it with his performance. I haven't had a big sample size of his work, only catching him in bit parts or in a few sketches on SNL years ago, but I was impressed. His character arc seemed a little rushed, however. I didn't feel like he had a chance to portray a natural progression.
As stated previously, this movie takes a while to find its footing. The first 20 minutes or so is just one long introduction of Hathaway's character that seemed far too drawn out. There is a side character that is basically just a fly on the wall and makes zero impact to the story as a whole. They are put in situations where any rational human being would do, or at the very least say, something to help, but it's like they aren't even present. There were two major moments in the film that were almost illogical due to their inaction.
Stories like this deserve an audience. We clamor for originality at the theater, but when we're offered a title that isn't a popular IP or doesn't include a cinematic universe, the empty seats speak far louder. This isn't a perfect film, but it's definitely worth your time. Is it a little on the nose that it's a story about an alcoholic destroying the world around her? Sure. But it's all in the execution.
Hard to finish
TheGusK28 April 2017
I'm rather confused by all the high praise for this rather boring movie. My main problem was how unlikable all the characters were. Watching idiots moving through a weird for weird's sake plot hardly qualifies as good entertainment. The initial setup was rather vague and poorly written, not the way to establish the main character. All in all there is no way that I could recommend this to any of my friends.
Engaging in its efforts even if it doesn't pull into the characters as much as the plot needed (SPOILERS)
bob the moo13 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Like everyone says, let's give this film credit for trying to do something unusual with the way it splits across genres to do something interesting on a character level, which at the same time is represented by a kaiju destroying large parts of Seoul. Essentially the plot boils down to a girl who has inner demons, and these are linked to a formative point in childhood, but continue to manifest themselves in her inability to stop drinking, her inability to shake off bad influences, and her inability to learn lessons for the next time she is confronted by choices. Through a very specific situation, this leads her to be responsible for a monster appearing in Seoul at a certain time each day.
For the majority of the film the mystery over the connection does tend to drive the film, which is a problem because if this is what you are looking for then the resolution seems almost pat and too tidy to fully satisfy on this front. At the same time then, it is the character element that needed more work because ideally the viewer would have taken the monster stuff as a distraction from the characters, not the other way round (as it mostly seemed). The characters do still link to the plot, and they are not weak per se, but I didn't feel Gloria's struggle as much as I needed to in order to completely engage and feel for her in a way that would make the plot work.
It is disappointing to realize this, because you can certainly see what attracted Hathaway to the character and the idea, but it doesn't get the depth or viewer empathy that it needed to pull it off. So, kudos for the idea and for presenting something that feels fresh and different, but in the end the writing doesn't do enough where it counts to make it something that stands on its content, not just its concept.
For the majority of the film the mystery over the connection does tend to drive the film, which is a problem because if this is what you are looking for then the resolution seems almost pat and too tidy to fully satisfy on this front. At the same time then, it is the character element that needed more work because ideally the viewer would have taken the monster stuff as a distraction from the characters, not the other way round (as it mostly seemed). The characters do still link to the plot, and they are not weak per se, but I didn't feel Gloria's struggle as much as I needed to in order to completely engage and feel for her in a way that would make the plot work.
It is disappointing to realize this, because you can certainly see what attracted Hathaway to the character and the idea, but it doesn't get the depth or viewer empathy that it needed to pull it off. So, kudos for the idea and for presenting something that feels fresh and different, but in the end the writing doesn't do enough where it counts to make it something that stands on its content, not just its concept.
A movie about damaged people best enjoyed by damaged people
mikebatho24 August 2017
I enjoyed this. Look, there are a lot of people who I'm sure are perfectly fine who are leaving low, head-scratching reviews, but if you're a fairly damaged person, like myself, you'll probably get a kick out of the movie.
Don't expect a moral payoff, any wisdom, any heartwarming feels. It's a perfectly good way to kill a couple of hours.
Don't expect a moral payoff, any wisdom, any heartwarming feels. It's a perfectly good way to kill a couple of hours.
Not a Kaiju film
mql213 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The film has two interpretations, a literal and a metaphoric one. Sticking only to the literal reading is a mistake since the film loses all of its sense.
The relationship between Oscar and Gloria represents this sort of toxic relationships where women are sick and want to leave but men won't allow it. That's literally what happens when Gloria wants to leave but Oscar tries to intimidate and threat her. Basically, if she leaves, he'll hurt people from Seoul. The film is a portrait of that kind of relationships where violence reigns at night and then it's all apologies and presents to make peace in the morning. At one point of the film, Oscar brings some furniture as an apology for the argument they had the previous night, which is a clear representation of that toxic behavior.
The ending, represents the liberation of a woman who manages to finally leave the psychological abuser behind. Colossal is an excuse, in the noble sense of the word, to expose Vigalondo's feminist vision of life and human relationships.
Nacho Vigalondo, as a joke, referred to the film as a new version of Godzilla and people took it too seriously, he even got sued for it. The message of Colossal goes much further than a Kaiju movie. It is definitely not a Kaiju film.
The relationship between Oscar and Gloria represents this sort of toxic relationships where women are sick and want to leave but men won't allow it. That's literally what happens when Gloria wants to leave but Oscar tries to intimidate and threat her. Basically, if she leaves, he'll hurt people from Seoul. The film is a portrait of that kind of relationships where violence reigns at night and then it's all apologies and presents to make peace in the morning. At one point of the film, Oscar brings some furniture as an apology for the argument they had the previous night, which is a clear representation of that toxic behavior.
The ending, represents the liberation of a woman who manages to finally leave the psychological abuser behind. Colossal is an excuse, in the noble sense of the word, to expose Vigalondo's feminist vision of life and human relationships.
Nacho Vigalondo, as a joke, referred to the film as a new version of Godzilla and people took it too seriously, he even got sued for it. The message of Colossal goes much further than a Kaiju movie. It is definitely not a Kaiju film.
It's all about bullying
jpe216 May 2018
Warning: Spoilers
All the facts point to this being about bullying. Take the grade school incident of Oscar stomping on Gloria's school project and crushing it. Even though Oscar tried to present himself as a different person the second time around when rejected for Joel he became abusive, psychologically then physically. The climax is when Gloria, who has gone to Seoul, shows up in the park as the monster, picks up and tosses Oscar, finally overcoming her fear of Oscar, which presumably she has carried for years and is at the root of her alcoholism. Hathaway does a commendable job of making you dislike her character, as Oscar does in getting you to like his character until Gloria spurns him and the tables turn. You end up cheering for her in the end as she overcomes her demons...
Huh?
leandrobfonseca9 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
1) OK. Hathaway is a drunk girl that screws up her life because she is drunk and has to come back to her home town and restart her life. Then she meets the other drunk, Sudeikis.
2) Were they ever drunk? I don't know, I couldn't tell, the actors were not showing when they were or weren't drunk... Were they always drunk, then?
3) She suddenly discovers she is korean Godzilla. And Sudeikis is korean Megazord.
4) When they are drunk, they like to go to the park, turn into Godzilla and Megazord and KILL koreans.
5) Is being drunk a reason, or an excuse, to mass murder south koreans?
6) I missed the part when Sudeikis' character starts turning evil... I mean, that's a good guy, gave Hathaway a job, knows her since always and BAM! Evil. "I'll drink and kill. Because I hate myself and want to kill korean people. Now."
7) "So you hate yourself, now I hate you too because you've always been evil (I forgot you were, but now I remember, you are so evil, a bad boy who hates himself, bad, bad) and I WILL KILL YOU! I will swap places with Godzilla, kill you, and live in South Korea, where a girl with a bad accent knows I speak English and starts speaking English with me for no reason!"
8) The end.
HUH?
2) Were they ever drunk? I don't know, I couldn't tell, the actors were not showing when they were or weren't drunk... Were they always drunk, then?
3) She suddenly discovers she is korean Godzilla. And Sudeikis is korean Megazord.
4) When they are drunk, they like to go to the park, turn into Godzilla and Megazord and KILL koreans.
5) Is being drunk a reason, or an excuse, to mass murder south koreans?
6) I missed the part when Sudeikis' character starts turning evil... I mean, that's a good guy, gave Hathaway a job, knows her since always and BAM! Evil. "I'll drink and kill. Because I hate myself and want to kill korean people. Now."
7) "So you hate yourself, now I hate you too because you've always been evil (I forgot you were, but now I remember, you are so evil, a bad boy who hates himself, bad, bad) and I WILL KILL YOU! I will swap places with Godzilla, kill you, and live in South Korea, where a girl with a bad accent knows I speak English and starts speaking English with me for no reason!"
8) The end.
HUH?
Amazing, but NOT a comedy
ereisburgin26 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This is not the movie it was advertised to be. Or the synopsis portrays it as. It is amazing, but it is not a comedy.
This is a movie about stalking and domestic violence and the hatred that some men have towards the women they want to control and can't. It just also happens to have Anne Hathaway's character supernaturally linked to a Godzilla-sized creature.
Anne Hathaway was amazing and anyone who doesn't understand that the violence of the villain/antagonist was there all along, is a dumbass.
This was brilliant and a punch to the gut.
This is a movie about stalking and domestic violence and the hatred that some men have towards the women they want to control and can't. It just also happens to have Anne Hathaway's character supernaturally linked to a Godzilla-sized creature.
Anne Hathaway was amazing and anyone who doesn't understand that the violence of the villain/antagonist was there all along, is a dumbass.
This was brilliant and a punch to the gut.
Strangely addictive
bowmanblue1 April 2018
The term 'car-crash' normally means something that's really bad and yet you can't bring yourself to look away. I think it would be a little unfair to refer to 'Colossal' as a 'car-crash' of a film, because it's not bad at all, in fact, it's rather touching and uplifting, but I certainly couldn't stop myself from watching, even though I have to confess I'm not entirely sure of the point.
Thinking about it, I do wonder how commercially successful it was because I can't really think of the target audience it was supposed to be aimed at. If you've seen any of the marketing material surrounding it, you may well have spotted the prominent monsters crashing through major world cities. In the light of the 'Pacific Rim' movies you may well be expecting an action blockbuster, but you would be well off the mark with that one. Also, prominently featured in the film's posters is its star Anne Hathaway smiling and looking a little bit kookie. This almost makes the film come across as a happy-go-lucky comedy, maybe with a romantic element contained within? Again, well wrong.
In fact, it's almost hard to explain about the film's plot without giving too much away. Anne Hathaway plays a struggling alcoholic who gets caught up in a much larger matter (pun intended) regarding giant monsters crashing through a city on the other side of the world. How are these two situations connected? Well, you'll have to watch the film to find out.
I will say that the film doesn't give a clear and cut explanation to everything it's presented the audience with, but it gives you enough to allow you to fill in the blanks yourself with (film) logic. What you get is actually a drama about an alcoholic struggling with her demons and those around her that wish to either help or hinder her. Yes, there are also giant monsters in there, too.
As long as you expect drama first and sci-fi second, you should enjoy it. There's not much here in the way of humour or action, so certainly don't hold out for anything that remotely resembles 'Pacific Rim.' As I said, I don't know who the target audience for this is, only that I enjoyed it and found that I was definitely rooting for Anne Hathaway's character and found her a flawed, yet endearing hero.
Thinking about it, I do wonder how commercially successful it was because I can't really think of the target audience it was supposed to be aimed at. If you've seen any of the marketing material surrounding it, you may well have spotted the prominent monsters crashing through major world cities. In the light of the 'Pacific Rim' movies you may well be expecting an action blockbuster, but you would be well off the mark with that one. Also, prominently featured in the film's posters is its star Anne Hathaway smiling and looking a little bit kookie. This almost makes the film come across as a happy-go-lucky comedy, maybe with a romantic element contained within? Again, well wrong.
In fact, it's almost hard to explain about the film's plot without giving too much away. Anne Hathaway plays a struggling alcoholic who gets caught up in a much larger matter (pun intended) regarding giant monsters crashing through a city on the other side of the world. How are these two situations connected? Well, you'll have to watch the film to find out.
I will say that the film doesn't give a clear and cut explanation to everything it's presented the audience with, but it gives you enough to allow you to fill in the blanks yourself with (film) logic. What you get is actually a drama about an alcoholic struggling with her demons and those around her that wish to either help or hinder her. Yes, there are also giant monsters in there, too.
As long as you expect drama first and sci-fi second, you should enjoy it. There's not much here in the way of humour or action, so certainly don't hold out for anything that remotely resembles 'Pacific Rim.' As I said, I don't know who the target audience for this is, only that I enjoyed it and found that I was definitely rooting for Anne Hathaway's character and found her a flawed, yet endearing hero.
Hard to identify with these cardboard characters and contrived situation
cyclingreimagined26 July 2020
The viewer feels little compassion for the problems these characters both find and make for themselves. Worse, the characters wreak murderous destruction on an Asian nation, but we're supposed to feel sorry for their romantic entanglements? The story, such as it is, is told thru the wrong end of the telescope.
An Engaging Character Study Advertised as a Dumb Comedy
SquigglyCrunch25 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Colossal follows a woman who discovers that she controls a giant monster attacking Seoul with her movements, and how she tries to learn to manage that responsibility.
Upon seeing the trailers I dismissed this as a garbage comedy with a dumb concept, but upon seeing the movie it's something much more. For starters, the concept is handled in a way that I didn't at all expect. It handles it with a lot of seriousness. It takes a concept that could make for a mildly entertaining children's movie, and shows it how it would really play out. The characters who get involved are real people and when the monster comes into play there are real consequences. When it comes down to it, this is a movie about supernatural circumstances and how people would respond to those circumstances if they became reality. And as a result, the movie is very unique. It's a one-of-a-kind movie.
Some of this uniqueness does come through as self-aware, out there comedy. Most of it works, but it's very unusual. Still, with a concept like this one, they don't really feel out of place. Looking back at those scenes they were really weird, but still fun. Most of it isn't laugh-out-loud funny, but it's good.
As much as I did love this movie, there is a point towards the last act where one character has a fairly sudden mental switch and while it doesn't really distract from the flow of the film, it's hard to ignore it.
Overall I loved Colossal. As a comedy it isn't that good, but as a movie it's great. I loved the direction the movie took, and I can't wait to see it again. In the end I would definitely recommend watching it.
Upon seeing the trailers I dismissed this as a garbage comedy with a dumb concept, but upon seeing the movie it's something much more. For starters, the concept is handled in a way that I didn't at all expect. It handles it with a lot of seriousness. It takes a concept that could make for a mildly entertaining children's movie, and shows it how it would really play out. The characters who get involved are real people and when the monster comes into play there are real consequences. When it comes down to it, this is a movie about supernatural circumstances and how people would respond to those circumstances if they became reality. And as a result, the movie is very unique. It's a one-of-a-kind movie.
Some of this uniqueness does come through as self-aware, out there comedy. Most of it works, but it's very unusual. Still, with a concept like this one, they don't really feel out of place. Looking back at those scenes they were really weird, but still fun. Most of it isn't laugh-out-loud funny, but it's good.
As much as I did love this movie, there is a point towards the last act where one character has a fairly sudden mental switch and while it doesn't really distract from the flow of the film, it's hard to ignore it.
Overall I loved Colossal. As a comedy it isn't that good, but as a movie it's great. I loved the direction the movie took, and I can't wait to see it again. In the end I would definitely recommend watching it.
Kaiju movie but with a twist?
Mysterygeneration23 August 2022
Even if Colossal premise didn't work so well, it would still be hilarious: Hard-drinking After a few too many wild nights out, Gloria gets rejected by her lover. Depressed, she returns home and learns that her actions in a nearby park have the power to summon a gigantic kaiju monster in Seoul that can destroy a whole city. Gloria's movements are accompanied by a massive reptile beast that stomps through the wood chips and topples buildings whenever she raises her arms. She's not the first person in the area to find this power, though.
Gloria must deal with that strange situation, though, and when "Colossal" provides her the chance, the reward materializes. Despite the odd events playing out on screen, Vigalondo's sparing use of CGI manages to add additional layers of significance. The premise of the film is presented as a crazy gamble, but it keeps working, allowing the film to survive. That's the battle Gloria has to deal with as well as she fumbles through both humorous and serious issues.
Gloria must deal with that strange situation, though, and when "Colossal" provides her the chance, the reward materializes. Despite the odd events playing out on screen, Vigalondo's sparing use of CGI manages to add additional layers of significance. The premise of the film is presented as a crazy gamble, but it keeps working, allowing the film to survive. That's the battle Gloria has to deal with as well as she fumbles through both humorous and serious issues.
Started off good but got bad really fast...
alexanderjuvarn27 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
-CONTAINS Spoilers-
The story starts off with a girl who uses her boyfriend for money, a home and everything else she can scab off of him. She is probably cheating on him but that isn't directly explained in the movie so its only speculation but she seems like the type. She is basically scum of the scum. A person who uses others to get what she wants.
Her boyfriend seems to be a pretty good guy, he works to make a living while she sponges off of his success while making excuses about finding work and doing nothing with her life. Finally he is sick of it and dumps her. But later on in the story his personality complete changes which makes no sense and makes him look desperate and needy.
She moves back home where she apparently owns a giant house and has money lying around to buy her a new bed and also untold amount of alcohol despite having no job in the last year.
She meets an old school buddy, he comes off as a nice guy at first and helps her out. He tells her about his mother and she doesn't remember that she died despite attending her funeral. He gives her a job because he obviously wants to sleep with her.
They are both chronic alcoholics and she often blanks out.
She f**ks some random guy that plays no actual relevance to the story later on and just disappears.
There is a half crazy guy that is high on cocaine the entire movie and they play him off to be some sort of wise man at first.
She kills hundreds of people and complains about the 'bad guy that she later on kills' for having a bit of fun despite not hurting anyone. Then she physically assaults him multiple times until he finally snaps.
She later on tackles him to the ground, killing hundreds more.
He suddenly turns from nice guy into a mass murdering psychopath who blows up his own restaurant that he spent his entire fortune and life renovating over some girl he has only know for a week after not seeing her for 20 some odd years.
The story line, characters and dialogue were terrible but the actors were superb and so was the CGI for a low budget film such as this so I can't give it all bad reviews.
I can deal with a few logic plot holes here and there, but the characters personalities completely ruined the movie for me and made it unenjoyable.
Some people will absolutely love this movie, but not me... I prefer my movies with a little bit more consistency and substance.
The story starts off with a girl who uses her boyfriend for money, a home and everything else she can scab off of him. She is probably cheating on him but that isn't directly explained in the movie so its only speculation but she seems like the type. She is basically scum of the scum. A person who uses others to get what she wants.
Her boyfriend seems to be a pretty good guy, he works to make a living while she sponges off of his success while making excuses about finding work and doing nothing with her life. Finally he is sick of it and dumps her. But later on in the story his personality complete changes which makes no sense and makes him look desperate and needy.
She moves back home where she apparently owns a giant house and has money lying around to buy her a new bed and also untold amount of alcohol despite having no job in the last year.
She meets an old school buddy, he comes off as a nice guy at first and helps her out. He tells her about his mother and she doesn't remember that she died despite attending her funeral. He gives her a job because he obviously wants to sleep with her.
They are both chronic alcoholics and she often blanks out.
She f**ks some random guy that plays no actual relevance to the story later on and just disappears.
There is a half crazy guy that is high on cocaine the entire movie and they play him off to be some sort of wise man at first.
She kills hundreds of people and complains about the 'bad guy that she later on kills' for having a bit of fun despite not hurting anyone. Then she physically assaults him multiple times until he finally snaps.
She later on tackles him to the ground, killing hundreds more.
He suddenly turns from nice guy into a mass murdering psychopath who blows up his own restaurant that he spent his entire fortune and life renovating over some girl he has only know for a week after not seeing her for 20 some odd years.
The story line, characters and dialogue were terrible but the actors were superb and so was the CGI for a low budget film such as this so I can't give it all bad reviews.
I can deal with a few logic plot holes here and there, but the characters personalities completely ruined the movie for me and made it unenjoyable.
Some people will absolutely love this movie, but not me... I prefer my movies with a little bit more consistency and substance.
See also
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