An absolute gem.
There’s a prevailing theory that the reason why Disney cartoons and fantasy films resonate with audiences so much is that when you strip away all the spectacle, battles, kings and queens, there are lessons and universal truths that can be gleaned from them.
On this note, filmmakers like Guillermo Del Toro and Tim Burton have crafted their careers from creating worlds that are brimming with fantastical creatures and yet the themes are incredibly pertinent and cutting-edge.
For example, some people might argue that the Oscar-winning Pan’s Labyrinth is just a film about a little girl, her complicated family and some weird creatures, but to many, it was a study of the cruelty of the Spanish Civil War that’s juxtaposed with the theme of childhood innocence that’s slowly dying…with a giant faun thrown in for good measure.
On this note, A Monster Calls is very much in keeping with Del Toro’s wonderful approach to fantasy and that’s not a surprise. After all, the director of A Monster Calls, J.A. Bayona, worked with the Oscar-winner on his breakout hit, The Orphanage (more about that brilliant horror here)
In terms of plot, A Monster Calls is quite straightforward.
12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall), is trying to deal with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness, a less-than-sympathetic grandmother (Sigourney Weaver), and some of his classmates that bully him.
Alone and misunderstood, Conor finds an unlikely ally when a Monster appears at his bedroom window.
Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth. Oh yeah, Liam Neeson’s dulcet tones provide the voice for the Monster.
If you’re thinking that this is a kid’s film, think again.
Imagine something like Pan’s Labyrinth and The Iron Giant combined.
Clip via Focus Features
Sadly, the film absolutely bombed at the box office, grossing $47 million worldwide on a budget of $43 million.
In fact, in its third week of release in the US, it made just $19,080 (a drop of 96.4%) and was pulled from all but 42 theatres – that’s one of the biggest third week theatre drops in history.
This being said, critics absolutely loved it and at present, A Monster Calls has an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 76% on the more reliable Metacritic.
Here’s what some critics had to say about it.
EW – “Bayona packs his tale with spellbinding visuals and honest emotion, and if the ending doesn’t reduce you to tears, you may be the real monster.”
USA Today – “A Monster Calls dials up a nostalgic and superb coming-of-age journey that’ll have audiences grabbing all the hankies.”
Rolling Stone – “Evocative, mysterious and shot through with bruising humour and heartbreak, A Monster Calls-with a deeply-felt performance from Felicity Jones- gets you where you live. There’s real magic in it.”
AP – “If you’re not crying by the third act of A Monster Calls, you may want to have your humanity checked.”
New York Post – “The film belongs alongside Pan’s Labyrinth in the realm of darkly creative kid-centric films that are, at their core, not really kids’ fare at all.”
Tampa Bay Times – “A Monster Calls lends pathos and sophistication, fairy tales and harsh realities into a small masterpiece.”
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
