Monstrous Review: Christina Ricci Is Stellar In Compelling Yet Uneven Horror
With Christina Ricci in the starring role, an actress who can easily and seamlessly transition alongside the film, Monstrous is a compelling watch. The film begins as a creature feature/supernatural thriller before slowly morphing into a psychological drama with a central monster that offers more than meets the eye. Directed by Chris Sivertson from a screenplay written by Carol Chrest, Monstrous is a supernatural horror thriller that caters to one's expectations of a creature feature while simultaneously playing with them.
Ricci plays a single mother named Laura, who flees to a remote home in California with her son Cody (Santino Barnard). The exact details of what is happening aren't clear, but Laura alludes to abuse from her ex-husband and is determined to keep her son safe from him. All is well in their delectable 1950s retro-style home until Cody attracts a monster that lurks in the lake nearby.
Related: Christina Ricci Confronts A Supernatural Force In Monstrous Trailer
The key to this film's success rests on Ricci’s shoulders. While the production design plays a central part, Ricci’s immaculately-dressed self does most of the heavy lifting. Ricci’s talent is not nearly as ambiguous as the script and her performance is the most steadfast aspect of the film. She can play into the darling quaint lifestyle of a 50s woman and then let out a shrill scream of fear and terror that can put most scream queens to shame. But her natural gift is her ability to act with her eyes; a single glance, a slight twitch, or a dead-on stare do more to communicate Laura’s feelings and situation than any piece of dialogue in the script. To that end, Monstrous utilizes Christina Ricci’s talents brilliantly.
Sivertson and Chrest are well
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