Is it just me, or does it feel like
zombies have gone a little out of style these past few years? There
was definitely a good period there where zombies were the kings of
cool. Between 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, and of
course, The Walking Dead, they were everywhere, and they were
beloved. Now, The Walking Dead is in its tenth season, and I
feel like I'm one of the few people still watching, and zombie films
are few and far in between. Admittedly, it did get to be a little
overkill. It got to be too much. Now, witches have seemingly
replaced them as the go to horror trend, quite successfully I should
add. Having said all that, it does feel nice when we do get the
occasional zombie film because it makes it all the more special for
us horror lovers. Little Monsters, (not to be confused with
the Fred Savage film from the 80s), is a new zombie film starring
Alexander England, Lupita Nyong'o, and Josh Gad. It will undoubtedly
earn comparisons to the likes of Shaun of the Dead and
Zombieland because it is a comedy, and similar to those films,
its success lies in its focus on the characters rather than its
undead menace.
While the marketing has mainly focused
on Lupita Nyong'o (I mean, she is an Oscar winner), the main
character of Little Monsters is actually Dave, played by
Alexander England. In the aftermath of a nasty breakup with his
longtime girlfriend, Dave has moved in with his sister Tess, and her
adorable son Felix. It's clear early on that Dave is not necessarily
the most productive member of society, as well as being a less than
appropriate role model for his young nephew. Eventually, Dave finds
himself volunteering to help chaperone Felix's class field trip,
where he, along with their teacher Miss Caroline, played by Nyong'o,
end up encountering a horde of flesh eating zombies.
Any good film should get you invested
in its characters, but I feel like it’s these types of films in
particular where it matters most. There are plenty of zombie films
featuring paper-thin characters that exist purely for the sake of
being zombie fodder. They also tend to be the films no one
remembers. From the very beginning, Little Monsters makes you
fall in love with its characters, and it makes for such a richer,
more fulfilling experience. It should be noted however, that this
film is a comedy first and foremost. Little Monsters probably
had me laughing harder than most of the standard comedies I've seen
so far this year. Most of the comedy is built around characters such
as Dave and Teddy McGiggle, played by Josh Gad. It would be a
disservice to count out the large focus on Felix and his classmates
however. Little Monsters makes full use of the young cast for
both comedic and heartwarming effect. Felix alone should be enough
to win over the crowd. Characters aside, Little Monsters is
ripe with pop culture references that only serve to enhance the
experience rather than rely on it. Nostalgia is so often used to
make up for weak storytelling that when it is done correctly, the
result is so incredibly satisfying.
I mentioned Shaun of the Dead
and Zombieland earlier not only because they are recent zombie
comedies, but also specifically because they are great zombie
comedies. I believe that Little Monsters belongs in their
company. It's a delightful hilarious, and especially heartwarming
film that should easily win fans over. It really is unfortunate that
this film only received a one night theatrical release. I feel like
it would have done great with a standard wide release. Luckily for
all of you, it's now streaming exclusively on Hulu. For anyone
looking for some great horror themed films to watch in celebration of
Halloween, look no further!
-Derek Miranda
