A Monster Calls // Film Review

A Monster Calls is a dark fantasy drama directed by J. A. Bayona and based on a novel with the same name. It follows Conor (Lewis MacDougall), a young boy who is struggling to come to terms with his mother’s (Felicity Jones) illness that seems to only be getting worse. The use of CGI in this film is perfect and the blend between reality and fiction is mesmerizing.
Every character seemed to serve a specific purpose and felt in place. I have no complaints about the acting or choice of actors. The voice acting from Liam Neeson was good but sometimes it felt like his voice had been altered so much that it was hard to tell it was him, I guess that might not be a bad thing though.

Basic Plot
Conor is the small quite kid in school that gets bullied by the same boy every day. At home, he has a strong bond with his mother but is constantly reminded by his strict grandmother that he should be preparing for his mother’s death. His mother goes to the hospital every 2 weeks but nothing seems to be working and so is only getting worse. That’s when Conor receives a visit from the monster
The monster tells him stories and helps him deal with the pain of preparing for his mother’s death. The monster also makes Conor stronger so that he can deal with the bullies.
The overall plot was good, it flowed well and seemed realistic, which I could see being difficult considering the film involves a giant tree looking monster that talks to a boy.

Directors Decisions
I thought that the art style in this film was incredible, it is blended in perfectly with reality. The same could be said for the CGI, which isn’t overbearing or unnecessary. The colors are often vibrant and pop. Certain sounds are often used to increase tension in a scene or cause the viewer to feel certain emotions.
As mentioned earlier, the was also a nice merge between reality and fiction, with small moments being added to help blend the two together.
Final Thoughts
I have very few complaints about this film, it ran for the perfect length of time with nothing wasted. I did however sometimes find the “metaphors” slightly cliché. For this reason, I think an 8/10 is the score I am giving A Monster Calls.
