Monsters and Men (2018) User Reviews

"Monsters and Men" vs. "The Hate U Give", and the winner is...

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 13 October 2018]

"Monsters and Men" (2018 release; 05 min.) brings the story of three black men. As the movie opens, a black guy (we later learn his name is Dennis) in his car is pulled over for no apparent reason. After the cops check his driver's license, they tell him "sorry to bother you, you are good to go", but what the cops don't know is that Dennis is a copy himself (off duty at that time). We then get to know Manny, who is filling out a job application to become a building security guard. After coming back home in Brooklyn, he notices a commotion, and comes close, filming the whole thing. A black guy in a store is surrounded by 6 or 7 cops. At some point a shot is fired and the black guy is killed. Later on, Manny struggles whether to release the footage. At this point we're 10 min. into the movie. In the third story line much later in the movie, we get to know Zyrich, a high school baseball phenom. To tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the feature-length debut from writer/director Reinaldo Marcus Green. Here he tackles an all too familiar topic these days: police brutality, in particular white cop against unarmed black man. It is very easy to fall in the trap of stereotypes (all cops are bad!!!), which this film thankfully avoids (unlike another recent movie--more on that later) hence credit must go to Green for providing a more nuanced perspective. In that sense, Dennis (the black cop) plays the most important role in the movie, and the casting of John David Washington is a stroke of genius, as he is outstanding, just as he was in "BlackkKlansman" earlier this year. Washington brings Dennis as an earnest guy who tries his best in a difficult environment. The story line of Manny is also top notch. So far, so good. Alas, the last third of the movie, centering around HS baseball phenom Zyrich falters badly. I see what Green is trying to do but it simple does not feel authentic or credible. But overall I still quite liked the film. This is in stark contrast to that other recent "white cop brutality against unarmed black man" themed movie, "The Hate U Give", in which there literally isn't a single decent white person (let alone a cop) in the movie and all African-Americans are 'good' (but for the token black drug king). By all means stay far away from "The Hate U Give".

"Monsters and Men" premiered at this year's Sundance film festival to good acclaim. It recently opened at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The early evening screening where I saw this at turned out to be a private screening as in: I was literally the only person in the theater. Hopefully this movie will garner a wider audience when it becomes available on more platforms. If you are interested in important social issues that are brought in a nuanced manner, I'd readily suggest you check out "Monsters and Men", be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

Lacking punch. Disjointed 3 story movie. Overdoses of sentimental violins. Righteous message is forced fed. Adding nothing new.

[imseeg · 5/10 · 15 September 2019]

Watch "Fruitvale Station" (2013) instead of this rather tedious picture about police brutality. "Fruitvale Station" has got much more gut power and a far better coherent story about police brutality. The problem with "Monsters and Men" is that it force feeds a righteous message about police brutality. Everybody knows there is police brutality, but that fact doesnt make this movie interesting by simply repeating over and over again that the police are bad and that the victims are saints, using violins and soft focus photography. Too many violins at specific scenes felt forced. I dont like it when I get cued to feel sentimental NOW and NOW, because of a sudden overdose of violins and soft focus photography when a dad is playing with his children.

There is no real drama either, which is remarkable because the subject of police brutality has tons of it available, but the director somehow managed to turn this interesting subject of police violence into a somewhat tedious story. It starts out promising, but it is definitely lacking punch in the middle, because suddenly the leading character gets replaced by another and later on by another. Too bad this movie has got a whopping 3 different stories to tell, which only further weakens the power of this already rather slow movie.

Watch the brilliant and shocking "Fruitvale Station" (2013) instead of this slow (soft) surrogate...

Great Material, disjointed

[jramalho · 6/10 · 19 March 2019]

The film starts out well enough, the acting is good and the story nuanced. The starting material and development are powerful, if predictable (nothing wrong with that). Perhaps to counter this, the option was to consecutively follow three different perspectives on the same events, three characters who hardly intersect, each with a clear "role" in terms of message. Although permanently unresolved issues are a key component of the film, in the end for me it felt disjointed due to this, three partial stories not necessarily making up a single great on. But I look forward for more from this director.

A measured, realistic look at the consequences of "stop and frisk."

[JohnDeSando · 7 October 2018]

If Monsters and Men were a more incendiary testimony to police brutality, as its title suggests, the audience would be fired up to demonstrate in favor of minorities who have been wronged in "stop-and-frisk" injustices. Fortunately, it's not more volatile; it is rather a thoughtful, albeit measured, rumination on racism and inequality.

Debut director, Reinaldo Marcus Green, takes a careful look at an event that sounds like the death of Eric Garner in 2014 Staten Island. In Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy neighborhood, Nuyorican Manny (Anthony Ramos) witnesses an innocent youth murdered by a policeman in an all-too frequent stop of young black men. Manny spends the first part of the film tortured about the right thing to do with his evidence.

In a second of three segments, black patrol officer Dennis (John David Washington) is conflicted between his loyalty to the force and his understanding of how the system does not favor black men. Although he's dropped from the rest of the film, he represents the moral quandary about the injustices and the fact that some characters will not follow the usual clichés of these message-type dramas.

The film doesn't so much as preach, either through voiceover or ponderous character, as it shows the daily indignities of young NYC black men in the white-dominated system that makes justice elusive for him and his peers.

In the final segment of the tryptic, Zyric (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) is a gifted young athlete forced by his conscience to join the protest against brutality and at the same time jeopardize his future to play pro baseball. Like Monsters and Men, Zyric asks you to join him deciding to do the right thing. Not everyone does.

Reasonably Balanced

[larrys3 · 6/10 · 18 January 2019]

Reasonably balanced presentation of this highly charged subject that we, unfortunately, see all too frequently in today's headlines. A strong nuanced performance here by John David Washington as a conflicted NYPD police officer. Also, a solid big screen debut of writer and director Reinaldo Marcus Green. However I didn't like the ambiguous ending here.

Important topic but lacks power

[CrazyArty · 6/10 · 11 September 2021]

A young man films the shooting of an unarmed black man by police officers in New York. This sparks a broader reaction in the community.

This is a very topical and important subject. However, the film lacks real power and emotional impact. The ending is unfulfilling.

subtle, sensitive

[kevin c · 7/10 · 3 March 2019]

Monsters And Men tackles racism and police brutality, but not as the trailer would have you believe. It's a reflective drama in which three different protagonists' lives overlap. It is well acted and a subtle, sensitive film.

Plot wise, this is standard fare. But it doesn't lessen the impact of the story. With all three, you get continual close-up's of their anguish and torment. Some may feel the film should be angrier. This isn't Spike Lee, and we have a purposely low-key ending. It's an angry, shouty world, but insightful and delicate can be just as powerful.

A weak film whose message becomes muddled in its delivery

[Coffee_in_the_Clink · 4/10 · 11 September 2021]

In New York City, a black man is killed in a confrontation with police. The incident is recorded by a young latino man. We witness the fall out from the incident through the experience of him, a black police man and a young baseball star as tensions in the community rise. "Monsters and Men" seems to have stayed under the radar in the three years since it was released, this is in spite of it sporting a strong performance from John David Washington (the son of Denzil) who had his superb breakthrough the same year in "Black Klansman". Although "Monsters and Men" should be as topical as ever in its depiction of police brutality and the effect it has on the community, it is ultimately a weak film that labours on and the way it ended told me that the director just did not know what more to do with it and just hoped for the best, that the message would sink in and linger with the viewers without the delivery it promised. Excellent performances all round, but otherwise, this film just goes through the motions and the director is happy to take a back seat.

A Slow, Riveting Drama

[kjproulx · 8/10 · 14 September 2018]

There are far too many films that go unnoticed each year and fall by the wayside, being remembered as a little gem of the year that it was released. While Monsters and Men probably won't make any of my must-see lists, it's a shame that this particular movie probably won't find a large audience. It's stories like these that explore the issues we face on a day-to-day basis that never get seen. People ask for movies that they can sympathize with or relate to, but they hardly ever turn out to see them. It's sad to say, but most independent movies don't receive the box office return that they deserve. If you notice Monsters and Men playing in your city and are ready to sit down and witness something raw and true, then here's why I definitely recommend checking this one out.

After resisting arrest, a young man is unarmed but gunned down by the officer anyway. Monsters and Men follows characters during the aftermath of this police shooting and how it affects the lives of others, regardless of whether or not they had been related. The core story revolves around the teenager who filmed the shooting and how it affects him on an emotional level, a police officer who is ridiculed for the way that he chooses to look at the event, and a young baseball prospect, who happens to have a policeman as a father. The way these stories sort of intertwine will either work for you or it won't, but I found this particular story to be incredibly engaging.

Many viewers may be thrown off by the slow pace and long scenes of self-reflection, but I personally found these moments to non-verbally give depth to each of these characters. For instance, the opening sequence of the movie showcases an off-duty cop being pulled over, simply because the colour of his skin didn't sit well with the police officer who pulled him over. This sequence sets the overall message of the movie in motion and his police officer easily became my favourite portion of the film, delivering one of the best speeches I've heard all year. It's quite eye-opening and really makes you think twice about the way news and media manipulate stories on a daily basis.

Where this film started to lose me, however, was in its final few moments. Once the first two acts conclude and every message the film wanted to give has been given, you can clearly see where the film will probably end its run, and it does nothing to deviate from that. The story is the strongest when it's following these characters, but it becomes a very simplistic film by the end. I found myself wondering why the filmmakers chose to end on such an easy note, but it also doesn't hurt the movie in any way either. I was frustrated, solely due to the fact that the performances were terrific and the story progressed so nicely, but it chose to play it safe (possibly to not offend or manipulate any of its viewers).

In the end, Monsters and Men is an upcoming feature film that I don't believe is receiving anywhere near the marketing that it deserves, which is a real shame, due to the fact that it's quite a good film all around. From the quiet moments that build character, to the score that almost becomes its own character, to the continuous messages placed throughout the film, I was engaged from start to finish. There are surely some moments that play it too safe, but this is a very well-crafted story that deserves to be seen by many. I recommend checking it out if it's playing in your area, or even on demand eventually.

Slow and lacks originality

[lazarus-67083 · 7/10 · 7 October 2018]

In saying all that, I liked it! The performances were strong and yes the film has been done before. But it's decent for sure. Worth more than a 5

Slow and tedious.

[swanseasteve · 1/10 · 9 September 2021]

One review said it was a film to designed to make you think - it did - I thought it was rubbish.

Realistic

[jrwygant · 9/10 · 8 March 2019]

There are no stereotyped villains or good guys in this film, only different people reacting in different ways to the same event, which we never actually see. In that it resembles what we usually learn from what we regard as "news." This film is seriously under-rated and is one of the most realistic cop films I've ever seen.

Monsters are men.

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 14 September 2019]

'Monsters And Men (2018)' is a relevant and really quite multifaceted movie about an unlawful police shooting, one that tackles themes of race and racism head-on in surprisingly nuanced ways. Occasionally, however, it is a lot more heavy-handed. Whenever it is, it stumbles slightly, coming close to shaking off its otherwise near rock-solid realism. Thankfully, this doesn't happen often enough to be a major issue. The picture's distinct multi-character approach dampens its impact somewhat, as each shift in segment usually removes the previous protagonist entirely and, basically, begins things anew. Of course, all three portions focus around the aforementioned shooting. As such, the first two parts transition relatively seamlessly and provide immediately obvious alternate perspectives. The third, however, feels quite clunky and takes the steam out of the story. This final segment isn't bad once it gets going, it just prevents the overall narrative from having any real sense of escalation. Still, the unique approach allows for a more wholistic view of the central situation; we see how one event can transform the lives of apparently everyone around it in unexpected ways. For the most part, it's incredibly compelling. It teeters ever so closely on blaming 'bad apples', but ultimately refuses to draw such conclusions - or any conclusions at all, really - and is all the more successful for it. Plus, it doesn't shy away from showing some of the systematic aspects of racism, which a lot of similar ilk unfortunately miss out on. Ultimately, this is an engaging and well-conceived experience. It doesn't claim to have any answers, let alone easy ones. 7/10.

Predictable race hate film

[jimhyde-564-612476 · 2/10 · 15 April 2019]

Glad this was free inflight movie. Predictable race hate. Bad whitey cops are the typical villains. Sorry, stop and frisk have been profoundly less used. But isn't it ironic that the prevalent search of the baseball player showed he was carrying drugs only to be missed by the cops. Finally, why did the stop the film when it did. Didn't they want their newly SJW lose his opportunity at big baseball contract? Just ask Kap with his playability now.

Designed to make you think

[kz917-1 · 22 January 2019]

Sadly this happens.

Hopefully one day it will cease to.

pulled from the headlines

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 11 December 2019]

A large black male selling loosies on the street is shot to death by a cop with a questionable history. Passerby Manny films the incident which ignites protests. He is eventually arrested for being in the wrong place with the wrong people. Dennis is a black cop who witnesses the interrogation. He is caught in the middle of two worlds as the shooting gets investigated. He passes by as Zyrick gets searched by two cops. Zyrick is a high ranking baseball prospect who finds himself struggling between the day-to-day racism and his ticket to a better world.

Of course, this is referring to the Eric Garner incident. As soon as the guy selling loosies shows up, I was worried that this would be handled poorly. That part's fine. It's the inciting incident but not a big part of the movie. I don't like the passing-the-baton structure. There are interesting moments but I want the leads to be more connected. Quite frankly, the story of Manny and Zyrick can be combined. The more dramatic ending would be Dennis confronting Zyrick after the protest. Overall, the movie tries to handle the difficult story material with care. It does need more than intention for a compelling story.

A never ending cycle

[thomasjay-2201 · 7/10 · 12 August 2019]

As the title suggests this is exactly that, an examination of the constant cycle of race issues in the USA which is tiring and horrifying for an outsider to watch in the UK. Part of a new wave in cinema which combines crisp, 4K high picture quality ironically documenting the shabby and rough reality many face it's artful in every way fathomable. The lingering camerawork is voyeuristic and perfectly captures the theme. A weaving story that would make Tarantino smile and characters that are so deeply fleshed out in so little time this is one that has somehow flown under the radar despite having such an important theme and voice that has to be heard

Three Stories From One Narrow Mind

[misfitone38 · 2/10 · 15 January 2020]

These are the worst kinds of movies...it disguises itself as a socially conscious film and I'm sure its makers claim they want the viewer to be challenged by a story that revolves around the impact of a police shooting and several different characters. It doesn't bring anything new to the table and its all thinly veiled references to real life cases such as Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and even Colin Kaepernick.

It only provides partial and one sided stories which make any try at debating the issues completely useless, let alone come up with any answers. This film has more in common with propaganda than any thought provoking drama.

"If I resist arrest, are you gonna shoot me, too?"

[jordanand94 · 8/10 · 16 October 2018]

I was very excited to see this film and it certainly did not disappoint. A film of this kind is as relevant as they come and is up there in the ranks of other films with similar themes this year, such as Blindspotting and Black KkKlansman.

Manny, played by Hamilton's Anthony Ramos, records and looks on helplessly as his friend (who is African American) is shot and killed by the police. The killing has a ripple effect on the community and a plethora of citizens make their voices heard on the matter. Manny is just a family man who is trying his best to get by and provide for his family, but he ultimately puts his future in jeopardy to raise awareness of his friend's death.

John David Washington portrays Dennis Williams, a black police officer who has himself received questionable treatment from other police officers while off duty. He understands people being upset about the police killing, but he also feels that those people don't understand what it is like to be a cop, what it's like "out on the streets." The decision to have a black police officer as one of the lead characters was a great idea, as we get more than just one perspective.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. portrays Zyrick, a young and promising baseball player who decides to get involved in the fight by raising his voice along with so many others. Zyrick's father's desire is for him to reach baseball stardom, to leave the cruel streets behind him and achieve his wildest dreams, to not wind up shot on the streets like the man mentioned. This film is really about three characters and how their lives transpire after the shooting, and Zyrick was probably my favorite.

The ending to this film was the icing on the cake, brilliantly conveyed. There were several scenes in the film that emitted so much power, and the performances were fantastic. This film isn't one-sided and that's what I love about it; you get the story told from a police officer and from people on the other side. If you want to see a human story and a relevant theme told from different perspectives, go see this.

Another boring race orientated borefest!

[omendata · 3/10 · 22 October 2021]

Started off well and could have been something but decided to go down the overtly political, racial woe is me line with poor direction and a meandering story that bored me to death - Go woke , go broke , no wonder this movie made nothing at the box office!

Another reviewer said this movie makes you think - Yip he is correct, it made me think "why oh, why did I have to watch this crap when I could have been cutting my toenails".

Awesome

[rkandpal-04549 · 9/10 · 6 October 2018]

Nice movie trying to show both side of the story. A rotten fruit can spoil whole bag.

Snooze fest

[mark-charleson · 1/10 · 10 January 2019]

Seriously could have had a storey, then they spoilt it. They tried too turn this into a race film and its a snooze festival. Give it a miss.

I Think Its An All Round Fail

[damianphelps · 5/10 · 30 January 2021]

Fail number 1: That this issue sadly exists (now 2021) and in fact is arguably worse.

Fail number 2: This movie does not do the issue justice. The movie does touch on the complexities but seems to prefer to play it safe than really challenge us the audience/society to explore the issues deeply. It has a couple of moments but not nearly enough in a meaningful way that might drive the conversation around the problems. And if that's not going to happen...what's the point.

The movie itself is ok but I think it should be more than that.

Again Wow

[roycedressel-54435 · 10/10 · 3 October 2018]

Neon knocks it out of the park again. Finally, the movies and their stars are back.

A good message, muddled by disjointed story-telling.

[crash20015 · 5/10 · 6 June 2020]

This movie starts off well, and tries to tell a story of police brutality and the injustices done to people of colour, but it doesn't give the audience enough time to resonate with the character in front of them. It begins telling the story from the perspective of one person, just to pass it off to another in the height of that characters development. The overall message continues throughout, but because of the passing off between central characters and story-lines, it deprives the viewers of any real emotional connection into the story they're trying to tell. It does have its moments, but they're few. If I'm to give praise, it's because all of the actors involved did a commendable job of playing their characters, despite that it comes off as slow, and disjointed.