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Dylan O’Brien stars in this thrilling adventure delivering epic action and laughs. After monsters take over the world, Joel (O’Brien, The Maze Runner) and the rest of humanity are forced to live underground. Believing he’s lost everyone he has ever loved, Joel finds his high school sweetheart Aimee (Jessica Henwick, “Game of Thrones”) living just 80 miles away. Facing unknown dangers that stand in his way, Joel must discover his inner-hero as he makes the impossible journey across a monster-infested land to be with the girl of his dreams.
Cast
Dylan O’Brien as Joel Dawson
Jessica Henwick as Aimee
Michael Rooker as Clyde Dutton
Dan Ewing as Cap
Ariana Greenblatt as Minnow
LOVE AND MONSTERS is directed by Michael Matthews and this is his second film after FIVE FINGERS FOR MARSEILLES. This is a post-apocalyptic film, the premise is very different from your typical movie in the genre. What the paramount synopsis doesn’t tell you is that humans caused the apocalypse by launching all nukes into an oncoming meteor and the fallout mutated the cold-blooded animals on the planet. This means reptiles, mollusks, crustaceans, insects and more have become these beasts that drove the humans into hiding. Dylan O’Brien is convincing as the meek survivor guided by love and he has this fun chemistry with every person he interacts with.
Now, I want to put this out there and it may be a stretch but there’s something about this movie that reminds me of WARM BODIES. Maybe it’s the narration or the love story after the end of the world but there is something there.
VIDEO QUALITY
The video is a 2160p HEVC prevention with Dolby Vision that has a spectacular transfer. The details are sharper and with the way the world looks, there isn’t any room for much of an argument. There is a decayed look due to enduring 7 years of chaos from the monsters on the surface and the close probity of people in their shelters. The beasts have a realistic texture on their skin/shells. Textures on clothing, human skin, and other surfaces also have incredible detail that sells the situation to the viewer. Dolby Vision creates brilliant colors in the bunker but shines when Joel exits the shelter. The greens in the foliage are bolder than most other colors but there are moments where color pops through. The contrast is impressive with there being an abundance of darker scenes and situations where the objects are distinct. Skin tones are warm and natural. Also, the blacks are dark and inky.
AUDIO QUALITY
The audio is a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix and it sounds awesome. The effects from the horrific beasts in this world are brought to life with these bellowing roars and ground tremors that made the subwoofers do some work. The highs and mids also help in creating these creatures. The sound field feels expanded with plenty of ambient sounds and distant monsters. It also lends to the realism of oncoming danger with crossing movement. Other effects like explosions also sound excellent. The dialogue is prioritized well with the score plus effects.
SUPPLEMENTS & PACKAGING
-Bottom of the Food Chain: The Cast of LOVE AND MONSTERS: This looks at the cast of the film.
-It’s a Monster’s World: Creating a Post-Apocalyptic Landscape: This looks at the location and filming.
-Deleted Scenes
Disc Details
2-Disc Set w/ 1 4k UHD and 1 Blu-ray
Digital Copy
Slipcover included with initial release
Running Time
108 mins
Edition Ratings
PG-13
Region Coding
Region Free
4k UHD
Video Resolution
2160p HEVC H.265
HDR: Dolby Vision & HDR10
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio Mixes
English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Subtitles
English
English SDH
Spanish
Blu-ray
Video Resolution
1080p AVC MPEG-4
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Audio Mixes
English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Subtitles
English
English SDH
Spanish
THE BOTTOM LINE
I had a lot of fun watching this movie. The humor is quick, sometimes dry, and to me every time. I loved the plot and the premise as to how the monsters were created too. The acting, chemistry between actors, and the set locations all make for an entertaining film. The movie looks excellent in 4k and throwing in the Blu-ray for comparison it is has been made well if that’s how you’ll be viewing it. The audio is perfect and it has so much activity in each channel. This is a movie that would have highly benefited from an Atmos soundtrack but the 7.1 does put in the work. The extras cover most of the important information and the only thing I might’ve wanted to be included is a commentary with the director or him with O’Brien. This is worth picking and has my highest recommendation.
