69
Metascore
13 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83The PlaylistAndrew CrumpThe PlaylistAndrew CrumpIt’s what we don’t see, at least not in full, that makes the film scare so effectively. Bertino holds his monster in reserve, conceding its presence through brief and mostly obscured glimpses of its shape.
- 80Los Angeles TimesJustin ChangLos Angeles TimesJustin ChangNot least of the surprises here is that even when The Monster is trying to scare you witless, its every scene insistently reaffirms its characters’ humanity.
- 75Entertainment WeeklyClark CollisEntertainment WeeklyClark CollisLike "The Strangers," the result is a simple but skillfully told shocker.
- 75RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoRogerEbert.comBrian TallericoThe reason that The Monster works is because of how much Kazan’s performance captures the truth of the moment in which Kathy struggles.
- 70We Got This CoveredMatt DonatoWe Got This CoveredMatt DonatoIn the end, The Monster does more by way of thrilling tension and heartfelt admissions than it does through any scares, but that doesn’t make it a bad horror film. Bryan Bertino reveals a gushy soft side, only to tear out his heart and hoist it for all to see.
- 70The New York TimesManohla DargisThe New York TimesManohla DargisPart of the ticklish enjoyment in The Monster is how the director, Bryan Bertino (“The Strangers”), plays with genre registers and how, after opening with disquieting stillness and an isolated child, he slowly yet surely turns up the shrieks.
- Bertino is just concerned with making you feel for his characters — and that he manages to do competently, despite their deep flaws. Well, that and spill some popcorn along the way.
- 58The A.V. ClubA.A. DowdThe A.V. ClubA.A. DowdWith The Monster, writer-director Bryan Bertino plants a prickly mother-daughter drama at the center of a violent creature feature. It’s an intriguing combination in theory, but the individual elements both feel a little half-baked, and stirring them up into one doesn’t help. They’re two mediocre tastes that taste mediocre together.
- 58The Film StageJared MobarakThe Film StageJared MobarakThe end result isn’t bad; its potential merely creates disappointment.
- 38Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreThe Monster is as dull and predictable as its title, a creature feature in which the melodramatic flashbacks are the only bits with bite.