Monsters: Dark Continent

RADiUS-TWC | Release Date: April 17, 2015

4.3	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 26 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

LeZeeSep 29, 2016

Fighting terrorist in the midst of monsters invasion.

I am surprised for the production quality. It was comparable to those big productions, so no doubt the visuals played its part accurately. Then what makes this film bad? Well, the storyFighting terrorist in the midst of monsters invasion.

I am surprised for the production quality. It was comparable to those big productions, so no doubt the visuals played its part accurately. Then what makes this film bad? Well, the story is the biggest issue here. It is a confusion screenplay, not for the viewers, but seems for the writers. Looks they don't know how to develop and end it with their decent opening. It was more focused on the military operation than conflict between the man and the monsters. How come when monsters taking over the earth is not considered a threat, but fighting terrorism becomes the main preference. The same thing applies to the terrorists as well.

No way near to the original. In fact, I don't know is it appropriate to tag it as a sequel to a film that earned a decent fame. The title says 'Dark Continent', but it takes place in the middle-east. Maybe it was the northern Africa, anyway, there's no clear picture about the location. This is the director's first feature film, but it was not a bad direction. The actors did decently as well and again, it is the story that bothered me. I feel it is an unnecessary sequel, so I say don't bother to watch it, because it is not worth, unless you can take a chance to find yourself how bad it is.

3.5/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

DevilmathSep 27, 2015

Unexpectedly, Monsters: Dark Continent was one of the most disappointing titles presented at the London Film Festival last October. It follows brilliant British sci-fi flick Monsters (2010), directed by then newcomer Gareth Edwards (who wentUnexpectedly, Monsters: Dark Continent was one of the most disappointing titles presented at the London Film Festival last October. It follows brilliant British sci-fi flick Monsters (2010), directed by then newcomer Gareth Edwards (who went on to direct Godzilla in 2014 and is already working on a Star Wars spin-off due in 2016), and it’s the perfect example of an unnecessary sequel; its level of failure reminds of flops like Jurassic Park 3, Basic Instinct 2 and Speed 2. Considering that Edwards had a 500.000$ budget for Monsters, and all CGI effects were made with his laptop, some criticism for lack of action in the film was inevitable. To please the audience, Dark Continent stages the main plot in the Middle East. The evergreen conflict between the U.S. army and generic Arab insurgents gives director Tom Green the chance to show off badass soldiers, air-strikes, gunfights with automatic weapons, dying people and the likes. Unfortunately, Green doesn’t strike as a particularly gifted action director; using the shaky-cam everytime someone fires a bullet is a trick we’ve seen a hundred times too many. Almost nothing remains of the strong character introspections and dynamics, and the thought-provoking (albeit subtle) alien presence seen in Edwards’ original feature.

Ten years after Andrew and Samantha’s journey through the “infected” Mexican area, the aliens have spread to the sandy Middle Eastern countries, where the U.S. are engaged in combat with the locals. As more soldiers are being drafted to face the increasing menaces, Frankie (Joe Dempsie), Michael (Sam Keeley), and their bromantic macho friends decide to leave the squalid suburbs of Detroit, and give purpose to their lives by joining the army. Their experience in the theatre of war is shocking and painfully eye-opening; the threatening presence of huge tentacular monsters (constantly bombed by American jets) adds to the level of danger and violence in the area. Set for a desperate rescue mission, the group of friends, led by war-junkie official Noah Frater (Johnny Harris), finally realises that Detroit wasn’t too bad after all. The plot unfolds in the most predictable way; if you’ve seen Battle Los Angeles (2011) or Black Hawk Down (2001), expect nothing different (apart from the heard of roaring aliens in the background). You might find some amusement in placing bets on who will die next, but that only works if you can actually tell the characters apart.

Unlike Monsters, Dark Continent completely misses out on the opportunity for a revealing moment of redemption. Gareth Edwards’ film was a progressive metaphor of the immigration issue between Mexico and the U.S.A., with a militarised wall built alongside the border to keep the aliens from trespassing. The moral was that the so-called monsters were no different from us human beings: they needed enough resources to survive, and only attacked other creatures if attacked first (on a second thought, they are clearly better than us human beings). How timely and mature would it have been for Dark Continent to adapt this metaphor to the difficult relationship between the U.S. and the Arab world! It could have been a great message of peace, showing that the Middle East is not inhabitated by monsters but by fellow human beings. Sadly, the film never even touches the subject, preferring to rely exclusively on its warmongering mumbo-jumbo, undefined characters, pointless aliens, unbearable soundtrack and prosaic story.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

Geng1sJan 16, 2018

I cant think of many movie sequels that have left me feeling this conflicted. So positives because its not the worse thing you will subject yourself to, the film is beautifully shot, the pacing is good, the action is reasonable and all in allI cant think of many movie sequels that have left me feeling this conflicted. So positives because its not the worse thing you will subject yourself to, the film is beautifully shot, the pacing is good, the action is reasonable and all in all its a well made film.

The not so positives, some how its all a bit boring. I still cant figure out why exactly but I just didn't quite care enough about any of the main characters to notice when they weren't there anymore. Maybe just one two many wide eyed shots of people losing their cool on the battle field. Not to say this isnt what actually happens in war but it felt a little over done.

The plot itself is a bit cliche middle eastern war film so that doesnt really help things any further which leads me to my last points.

The absolute negatives. Why the hell is this movie called Monsters: Dark Continent, the monsters are so under utilized they may as well not be there, if you have seen the first film you will undoubtedly be wondering the same thing, this isnt a movie about monsters its a movie about a war in Afghanistan and there just happens to be a whole heaps of giant aliens roaming around minding their own business, doing their thing. I can only assume that this an attempt at trying to pull a cloverfield type "Hey this is all happening in the same universe" type of film but good lord it just doesn't feel like the movie would be any different if you swapped the monsters for Camels.

All in all, if you feel you have to watch because you watched the first one you are probably going to be disappointed, if you are looking for a monster film might i suggest Godzilla or the aforementioned cloverfield.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews