#JustaQuickiePlease: The Monster (2016) Review

Indie horror films can be hit or miss, but more so than not, the intimacy, thorough storytelling, and carefully crafted characters make them worth the time and emotional investment.  Bryan Bertino's The Monster is no exception and, in my mind, sets a new standard in its genre.  Instead of relying on jump scares and gratuitous gore, the focus is on the tragic tale of a mother and daughter, told through gritty, authentic, and heartbreaking flashbacks.  It is a horror movie that transcends its peers, frightening audiences by having them face the terror of personal demons, which are far more fearsome than even the stunningly fashioned abomination that hunts this minimal cast.  Using inspired cinematography, a chilling soundtrack, and superior performances, The Monster, doesn't just scare us, it makes us feel; connecting with the characters on an exclusive level no matter the extent of their screen time.  With genuine dialogue and interactions, you experience every word as if spoken directly to you.  The only minus, a bit too much unnecessary profanity in an otherwise stellar script. This is what modern filmmaking was meant to be; effects eclipsed by a simple, well-told story.  4 out of 5 Kernels: Unpredictable to the very last second, this is a journey into what truly haunts who we are and the monsters that exist from within and without.