There Are Monsters

There Are Monsters is an engrossing 2013 horror film directed and written by Jay Dahl that brings together the talents of Kristin Langille, Guy Germain, and Matthew Amyotte. The film takes us on an intense and suspense-filled journey of a reality bent by supernatural happenings and eerie encounters with terrifying creatures, injecting the audience with a sense of uneasiness and tension that is identified with the best of the genre.

The storyline revolves around a crew of documentary film students, featuring Kristin Langille and Guy Germain as budding journalists, who set out to document certain bizarre occurrences in small towns across America. Matthew Amyotte, as the director of the crew, plays a significant role in maintaining the sanity of the group despite the horrifying incidents that plague their journey.

As our protagonists interview various locals at each stop along the way, they are met with tales of otherworldly apparitions and strange occurrences, slowly uncovering a chilling pattern. Witnesses speak of monstrous entities lurking in the shadows, unexplainable phenomena, and an increasing sense of menace that prevails over the settlements.

There Are Monsters effectively mines the horror latent in the most mundane of moments and situations, tapping into the primal fear of the unknown. The film's clever premise juxtaposes the everyday experiences and laughter shared among the film crew with the heart-stopping terror of their increasingly terrifying encounters. This successfully builds dramatic tension while grounding the horror and malevolent creatures in reality.

Kristin Langille delivers a compelling performance as the passionate, driven and talented journalist caught in a predicament. Her deft portrayal of a character grappling with mounting fear, yet refusing to cave in, is particularly commendable. Guy Germain, playing her partner, admirably meets the challenge of portraying a character dealing with terrifying events that he cannot comprehend with impactful acting.

Matthew Amyotte, as the crew's director, adeptly showcases a multifaceted character who pragmatically clashes with and questions the strange occurrences they're documenting. His performance adds another layer to the overall apprehension in the film.

What sets There Are Monsters apart within the genre is its dedication to a dynamic narrative that steadily cranks up suspense and maintains a pulse-raising tempo throughout the film. It perfectly marries the elements of a documentary-style road trip with spine-chilling elements of horror, resulting in a tale ensnared in a web of intrigue, apprehension, and dread.

On a more comprehensive note, the film remarkably handles sound and lighting techniques to provide the perfect ambience for its daunting storyline. The sound editing underscores the tension throughout, utilising silence and sudden bursts of noise to create startling and terrifying moments. When coupled with the atmospheric, often low-lit cinematography, the movie successfully mediates fear and unease.

The film skilfully utilises its spending budget, implementing visual effects in a way that enhances the storyline rather than overpowering it. The director, Jay Dahl, does a commendable job of keeping the film character-focused while highlighting the horror aspect in an ominously nebulous background.

Moreover, There Are Monsters stands as a testament to the power of storytelling in horror cinema. By focusing on the experiences of the characters and using these experiences to drive the narrative forward, the film maintains an engaging rhythm. The movie is not just about the horror experienced by the characters but also about their struggles, their camaraderie, and their dogged determination to continue on their journey regardless of the nightmare the trip was turning into.

Overall, There Are Monsters creates an immersive viewing experience filled with gripping tension, chilling sequences, and nuanced performances, making it a must-watch for anyone fond of a good suspenseful thriller. The film will keep you on the edge, brimming with anticipation and dread for its entirety, emerging as a significant entry in psychological horror films.