MONSTRUM (2018)

 

(Director/co-screenwriter: Jong-ho Huh, also billed as Jong-ho Heo. Co-screenwriter: Heo-dam, billed as Dam Heo.)

Storyline

Yoon Gyeom battles a monster that means to attack his Gyeom’s king, Jung Jong, as well as a group of rebels.

Review

MONSTRUM, a visually colorful Korean flick, is an entertaining summer popcorn work: the characters, action, themes and settings are writ and shown large; and, at a running length of an hour and forty minutes, it runs a bit longer than it needs to, in order to wrap every little detail in order to create a relatively happy ending. Still, it has more non-bathetic heart than most summer-popcorn movies, with its characters, including the monster, facing dire consequences if they fail in their individual intentions─nothing is silly or overblown in this regard.

MONSTRUM features excellent acting. I also like how the filmmakers did not show the hybrid monster right away. When it’s finally revealed, its CGI is better than those of a Syfy Original movie (not an insult), though─over the remainder of the MONSTRUM─its limitations become more and more apparent.

Ultimately, this is an above-average popcorn flick with lots of heart, action, smart-minded characters worth rooting for or hissing at, a sympathetic monster, and often beautiful scenery.