Book of Monsters movie review – a fun horror movie throwback
Book of Monsters isn’t a sophisticated, multi-layered horror film. It features some sketchy performances, a flimsy premise and some questionable effects.
Still, beneath its cheesy exterior, this is a fun and mostly enjoyable throwback to 80s horror films that weren’t concerned with social commentary. If it doesn’t provide good scares, at least it’s good for some quality laughs.
Sophie (Lyndsey Craine) is celebrating her 18th birthday with a house party. Sophie is still somewhat traumatized by the death of her mother who was literally killed by a monster under the bed. While she’s managed to put her life back together, it’s been tough for the socially awkward Sophie.
Her best friends Mona (Michaela Longden) and Beth (Lizzie Stanton) want to make this her best birthday yet and have invited Sophie’s crush, Jess (Rose Muirhead), even if it means also inviting her annoying friends Arya (Anna Dawson) and Brice (Julian Alexander). Arya is the cliche mean girl and invites a slew of strangers to liven up the party.
The biggest stretch of the film isn’t the monsters, but trying to suspend disbelief that any of these characters are in their late teens. Mid- to late 20s is probably more reasonable so it’s a little bizarre trying to work the high school angle. There’s a plot reason for the age, but it’s hardly something that couldn’t have just as easily been adjusted for the cast.
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Soon the party gets crashed by an uninvited guest who cracks open Sophie’s childhood Book of Monsters and starts unleashing some of the ghoulish creatures within. Director Stewart Sparke wisely doesn’t bother trying any fancy camera tricks for his monsters. He knows his budget and doesn’t apologize if they don’t look like horrifying CGI creatures found in bigger budget horror films.
To costume designers Natalie Roe’s credit, the monsters aren’t bad. The best was the bird-like creature with a scythe. There’s some cheaper looking elements, but they’re sufficient for this film where the more comedic tone allows for less frightening monsters.
It doesn’t take long for the party to become a massacre with just a handful of survivors left including Sophie’s crew and fellow classmate Gary (Daniel Thrace) and the completely out of his element male stripper Carl (Arron Dennis).
Screenwriter Paul Butler has a lot of fun with the premise of monster invaders and the characters’ realistic reactions to them. I laughed a lot more than I was expecting from the intentionally comedic moments instead of laughing at the movie. I love how Sparke and Butler were able to channel that 80s horror movie feel from the dingy lightning, clunky monsters and memorable dialogue.
The performances weren’t bad necessarily as they seem to intentionally deliver their lines to match the tone of that era. Longden is probably the film’s standout performer and a fine representative of the Final Girl tradition. Dawson and Dennis are a fun pairing as the bickering duo looking for a means to escape. None of the death scenes are that inspired, but there’s an encounter with demonic garden gnomes that’s pretty funny.
Book of Monsters isn’t high class horror, but it’s well worth checking out for fans of horror films that appreciate good laughs along with the gore.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Photo Credit: Epic Pictures