Monster! (1999)

To me, this movie is perfection.

Really Surprised!

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

This is a fun movie for anyone who has wasted a Friday night or two watching low-brow sci-fi from the 50s on T.V.. It is loaded with in-jokes and references without "winking" too much to the audience. The acting is good, direction is competent and the tone is generally sweet. The special effects are "cheesey, befitting this genera. Consequently, as an homage to the 1950s it works, but as contemporary Sci-Fi, it doesn't. If you loved the "Iron Giant", you will at least find this movie interesting. You will learn the "rules"of rampaging giant monster movies that can be subsequently used while watching "real" 50's films. The "Giant Gila Monster will never be the same.

M. Emmet Walsh portrays "Lloyd," an aging former star of a series of 50s "B" monster movies; Lloyd always portrayed the hero, a teenager who, initially was never believed by the adults when he claimed that a monster was about to attack the town. Of course, as in all classic monster movies, he was proved right and he "saved the town!" The movies were filmed in Lloyd's own small town, where, though he is considered a local celebrity, he is also considered a loony -- he is in the "New Purgatory Psychiatric Ward" because he insists that his town is, in fact, about to be attacked by "the monster." Enter Lloyd's grandson, who signs him out of the psychiatric hospital; they settle in at Lloyd's home, where Lloyd, who still takes his role of "town hero" quite seriously, instructs his grandson on how to fight the approaching monster according to "movie rules." People do, in fact, start getting killed; however, the sheriff thinks that Lloyd is the killer. Little by little, his grandson comes to believe that his grandfather may just be telling the truth.Don't look for totally logical resolution, but do look for classic 50s monster scenes: the couple "making out" at Lover's Lane, the people running screaming from the movie theater. This movie follows the traditional monster movie plot perfectly and is a wonderful "tongue-in-cheek" tribute to the B-movie art form.

This is one of those movies that could only happen in a town where they filmed a 1950s Horror movie and it's sequels. The director is in a local psyco ward of the hospital. Every 3 or 5 years (please forgive my memory) the monster re-emerges and goes on a 2 day killing spree. Well a only few days before the monster is scheduled to come out of hibernation, the grandson comes and gets his grandfather out of the looney bin, of course he doesn't believe his story but says he will care for him. Gramps keeps trying to convince him things will keep happening according to the original old movie script(of course he doesn't believe him, it's still according to the script). Well if you put your brain in neutral for a bit you can actually find it has a sort of twisted logic(kind of). But, the whole thing is it's meant to be a Horror B-movie, so enjoy it for what it for what it's meant to be and enjoy it you will. My husband and laughed and had got a bit nostalgic(ok maybe we're a bit twisted), but I really would give it 8 Stars. Eat popcorn and enjoy.

Playful, funny, lovingly satiric, action filled story about a retired, aging B movie star, Emmet Walsh and his straight laced Grandson, Travis. Emmet lives in the small town of "New Purgatory." He is a local legend, having filmed all of the "Monster" movies there, then settling down as a resident. He is seen as slightly mad because he believes the monster from his series of movies is real, and coming to attack the town. Thing is - he's right. It's a rite of passage as he hands over the "town hero" role to his Grandson and they save the town once more.