Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Love and Monsters Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 2, 2021

Perhaps apocalypse apathy has set in but since the grim days of The Road and The Walking Dead the genre has spawned a lighter side with movies like Zombieland (and its sequel) and now Love and Monsters, a movie that explores human essence and the innate need for closeness and connectivity no matter the circumstances, in this case humanity forced underground to hide from overgrown, and overly dangerous, creatures. Michael Matthews' film finds a fine balance between sour beats and cheerful hope in something greater than the mere, and sometimes seemingly futile, act of simple survival. The film seeks the human condition in a world no longer governed by humanity yet still defined by the human heart.

It was a long time coming, and the world has finally come to an end. Or, perhaps better said, man’s dominant reign over the planet has come to a screeching halt. It wasn’t by nuclear fire, it wasn’t by deadly virus, it wasn’t by asteroid. OK, well, it was almost an asteroid but it was because of an asteroid that things went wonky, fast. When scientists discovered an asteroid on a collision course with earth, a rocket barrage was successfully sent to destroy it. Yay science, boo fallout! It turns out that, somehow, following the impact, waste materials drifted back to Earth and mutated every cold-blooded creature, transforming them from harmless bugs and animals into gigantic killer monsters. Cats, goldfish, even cockroaches are now larger than a man, and more deadly, too. The result: 95% of humanity, dead.

Joel (Dylan O'Brien) is one of the 5% survivors now living underground. He’s relatively safe, but he’s not happy. While the other men serve in a makeshift warrior class, he’s been relegated to bunker chef. He’s not particularly adept at fighting. He’s “unsafe” and “a liability” for his lack of marksmanship, his cowardice, and his propensity to freeze under duress. Worse, most everybody else has hooked up but he has yet to find romantic companionship underground. But that’s OK. He misses his longtime girlfriend, Aimee (Jessica Henwick), and speaking with her over the radio is only breaking his heart all the more. It hurts bad enough that he chooses to risk life and limb to travel the 85 miles separating them, by foot, across open country, and in constant danger of the mutated monsters hungry for any human dumb enough to set foot on their new turf.

Along the way, Joel befriends a dog he names “boy” and meets a pair of nomadic survivors, Clyde and Minnow (Michael Rooker and Ariana Greenblatt), with whom he travels. They teach him the ropes and the lay of the land, explaining the survival process and dissecting, verbally (and sometimes literally!), the new foes they do and may face along their journey. As Joel experiences the new reality in the new real world, all he can do is cling to his past and push forward in hopes of finding Aimee and healing his broken heart in the midst of a shattered land.

The film plainly borrows from other dystopian/adventure/monster/etc. films. There's very little creative energy at work in it, precious little that distinguishes it as an individual entity with an identifiable personality. Yet it's curiously fun to watch as the monsters wreak havoc (even if the CGI is complex but still not quite photorealistic) and, on the flip side, as the film quickly finds a soulful energy countering the physical momentum that leaves the audience caring about Joel, not just for his physical safety but for his heart's satisfaction. Much of that is because Dylan O'Brien is very likeable as Joel Dawson, even as the character feels like a watered-down version of Zombieland's Columbus (Clyde is Tallahassee and Minnow Little Rock). But he brings a sincerity to the part, a tangible, relatable character structure who is led by the heart and not the body, fearful of his physical limitations but choosing to push past those and pursue what truly matters to him, his safety be damned. Though his character lacks physical courage as the film begins, he displays great emotional courage which eventually translates to his battle with monsters. It's simple character growth on a linear path but done well enough, and in a broadly entertaining framework, to make even a movie of little lasting value a fun diversion that's worth a watch.

Love and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The digitally photographed material translates well to Blu-ray. It's sharp and clear, well detailed, and free of any source or encode maladies. Honestly, though, the image is fairly nondescript in terms of reaching beyond the best the format has to offer. It looks very nice – excellent -- but it's not anything reaching beyond Blu-ray's best (such actually describes the UHD, too). Perhaps the best part of the experience is the format's ability to render the digital effects for all they're worth. The Blu-ray allows viewers to soak in all of the monstrous details – slimy tentacles, oversized eyes, hooks and claws, odds and ends – with amazing visual definition. Certainly, the practical elements look great, too. Facial close-ups enjoy superb definition, revealing the apocalyptic wear and tear with depth and great detail. Various terrain, forest trees and floors, tall grasses, and suburban decay all offer plenty of unique complexity. The intricate production values are readily apparent, including cobwebs and signs of neglect that add that necessary layer of authenticity to the experience.

Colors are excellent, too. The palette is rich and tonal nuance is thorough. Everything is in good balance, contrast is spot-on, and there's plenty of tonal richness in bright exteriors seen through the second act, where much of the action takes place around natural greens and, late in the film, where a sandy beach serves as one of the chief locations. Colors on clothes, creatures, and compounds are beautifully rendered. Whites are bright and true and blacks are deep and accurate. Noise is practically a nonissue and there are no other serious source flaws or encode problems of note. It's nothing audiences haven't seen on the best Blu-rays, but reaching that same peak is certainly an accomplishment.

Love and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Love and Monsters mutates onto Blu-ray with an exceptionally good DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. During the first monster attack on the bunker, listeners are treated to some incredibly deep sounds, capturing the structure's metallic hollowness and the creatures' weight with effective depth. It is here that the track first demonstrates its laudable command of space and detail, not to mention low end depth, that together fully bring the listener into the terrifying underground death trap. Throughout the film, and as Joel leaves the bunker to undertake the journey, the track offers a steady diet of precise surround activity in practically every scene. Monsters creep and crawl and click and make whatever sounds they make with world-class imaging, whether the sound be static in a single location or scurrying around from speaker to speaker. It's fluid, seamless, it's a joy and the perfect, and necessary, compliment to the movie's sonic demands. The final action sequence springs to life with a terrific blend of all these elements, including a prodigious low end, perfectly pulling the listener into the beachside frenzy. Additional world support is terrific, like falling rain and thunder in chapter eight. Here is one place, amongst many, where Atmos would have benefited the presentation, but it's hard to argue against the 7.1 track; it's just so effective as it is. Music is well versed in clarity and space, too, and dialogue is perfectly balanced, positioned, prioritized, and detailed through the film. This is a ceaselessly fun track from Paramount.

Love and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Love and Monsters includes deleted scenes and two featurettes. DVD and digital copies are included with purchase. This release ships with a slipcover.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 11:50 total runtime): Included are Hopeless Romantic; Without Love, What's the Point?; Car Critter; Good Luck Charm; You Guys Are Safe Now; and Back at the Bunker
• Bottom of the Food Chain: The Cast of Love and Monsters (1080p, 7:43): A quick look at the story's basic arc and moving on to explore the key characters and the actors who portray them (including the film's canine co-star).
• It's a Monster's World: Creating a Post-Apocalyptic Landscape (1080p, 7:04): Exploring Australian shooting locations, cinematography, production design, and more.

Love and Monsters Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Love and Monsters blends dystopian survival, monstrous terror, mild humor, and a romance that's driven by a different kind of survival instinct. Joel may as well not go on if going on means going it alone, and the film does a fine job of building his journey from the heart out. The action is not ancillary but it's not empty. Joel fights monsters, and himself, along the way, as he follows where his heart leads, even if it leads him straight through a living nightmare, albeit one watered down a bit for wider audiences. Paramount's Blu-ray delivers top-tier video and audio presentations and a few extras. Recommended.