Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Kill the Monsters is a drama about three men traveling across the United States to make a better life for themselves.
Frankie (Jack Ball), Patrick (Ryan Lonergan), and Sutton (Garrett McKechnie) are in a three-way relationship. As they move across the country, they encounter personal problems between themselves that must be overcome. They also interact with people from around the world and try to sell them on their way of life.
Some Thoughts:
Kill the Monsters is an allegorical film about the history of the United States. Because it cares more about its message than story, some of the aspects are a bit vague. The biggest being that Frankie is sick, but we never find out exactly what is wrong with him. Frankie sees doctors, and his health is why they’re moving out west, but his illness is only mentioned as a malaise.
The movie opens with a hypothetical quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin, “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.” This very much sums up Frankie, Patrick, and Sutton’s relationship, with Patrick and Sutton being the wolves and Frankie the lamb. And to pull more from the quote, their relationship represents life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
While I’m not well versed enough in American history to get every nuance of the film, I still found it enjoyable. That doesn’t mean it’s without flaws, because there are quite a few. Lucky for the film, the pacing is so chaotic at times that it masks the bad acting and poor writing. The dialog is also far from natural, but it’s delivered at such speed that it’s easy to ignore. And it helps that much of what is said is amusing.
On top of that, it’s filmed in black and white, which doesn’t work because the story feels too contemporary, and the world these three men inhabit is modern. This is especially obvious when they’re in kitchens, visiting doctors, and in New York City. Using a color pallet similar to that of the late forties/early fifties may have been a better choice.
However, despite all its faults, Kill the Monsters succeeds because of its crazy antics, beautiful imagery, and speedy pacing.
The Final Verdict:
Kill the Monsters is a fun ride even if you’re not a history buff. But for those who know the subject, this is a movie that’s sure to tickle your fancy. It may not be perfect, but it knows what it is and isn’t afraid to deliver.
