Andrew Robinson
I’m very excited to say that I co-wrote this article with one of my students, Tyler Lusby. He’s 12 years old, and is a much, much better writer than I was at his age. So, credit for the ideas and opinions present go solely to him.
Summary
A Monster Calls, based on the novel of the same name by Patrick Ness, follows a preteen boy, Conor (Lewis MacDougall) as he deals with his mother’s terminal illness. Along the way, he is helped by a tree monster (voiced by Liam Neeson).
Analysis
Standing out in the acting department are Sigourney Weaver (Grandma) and Toby Kebbell (Dad). Even with having to portray a wide range of emotions at once, Weaver and Kebbell give heartfelt, realistic performances. For Weaver in particular, there is a scene near the end of the film where she is in the car with Conor – her emotions here are raw and the performance is convincing. Her presence in the film makes it that much better.
MacDougall, who was 14 at the time of the film’s release, shines in some moments, but sometimes his emotions feel a bit exaggerated. In a few notable scenes, he tends to over-act, resulting in a slightly less authentic feel. However, considering his youth, he gives a good performance in a difficult role. It just could probably be a little bit better if he gave just a little less in some situations.
As for the story itself, this reviewer wishes he could have seen a bit more of Conor’s father (Kebbell). There is a moment in the film when it appears that Conor could travel with his father to Los Angeles, but the film never gets to this point. It could have been interesting to see this relationship blossom, as well as to see how Conor would have interacted with his father’s daughter and family.
The special effects in A Monster Calls are incredible. The tree monster, in particular, is done extremely well, and is very convincing. At one point in the film, the tree monster “catches” Conor – the special effects present here are second-to-none and make a film that borders on fantastical at points feel very believable.
The cinematography present is also very impressive. A recurring scene that comes to mind that exhibits this involves an imploding cemetery grounds in the midst of a late night. The scene is breathtaking. During a home destruction scene, however, it feels as if items that weren’t present in the house showed up after the destruction in order to exaggerate the extent of the issue. This made the scene feel a little less real.
A main message of the movie is to be able to let go, and not feel like everything is one’s fault. This reviewer believes that the way they present this message is unique and creative. By including a tree monster as the main helper of Conor, the film gives a unique look at how filmmakers can present this old message.
The ending of A Monster Calls is shocking, yet poignant. This reviewer enjoys the end cut-scene, as he believes it helps Conor fully understand what he goes through, and what others go through, as well. Without including that end cut-scene, this reviewer thinks the ending would be anticlimactic and predictable. However, by including it, director J.A. Bayona has the guts to change it up a little bit, resulting in a more desirable ending.
VERDICT
A Monster Calls follows a young boy’s journey with a tree monster who steers him through his mother’s increasingly-present terminal illness.
This reviewer enjoys the movie, particularly the acting performances, cinematography, and the way the message is presented. However, he thinks some minor changes, including toning down the emotion in some scenes just a bit, could greatly improve upon an already-outstanding film.
8.7/10
