Little Monsters Is An Adorable, Blood-Soaked Masterpiece.

I did NOT see this coming.

Every once in a while, a film comes along that draws one’s attention away from what he or she is working on. I didn’t hear anything about Little Monsters before it premiered last night on Hulu, but I thought I’d give it a chance because we are fast approaching Halloween. Needless to say, I expected nothing more than some light-hearted satire and zombie killing. After all, every genre has to have its staples, right?

I did not think that I’d watch one of the most adorable movies in the world.

The Cast Is A Ton Of Fun.

Lupita Nyong’o is a great actress who has no apparent limits.

It’s important to remember that horror stories are typically built on the strength of the actors and actresses in them. Luckily, Writer/Director Abe Forsythe managed to attract a trio who rose to the occasion.

Alexander England does a good job as Dave. When we first meet the character, he is a busker who is stuck in an extremely toxic relationship, which propels much of the rest of the story. England plays the highs and lows of his character quite convincingly, which gives the audience a chance to feel for the guy even though he might seem a little sleazy. Over the course of the story, we learn that Dave is actually a decent guy, so it becomes extremely easy to root for his survival.

Let’s make no mistake, though. This is Lupita Nyong’o’s show, and she plays an amazing kindergarten teacher by the name of Audrey Caroline. At first, the character seems like an ordinary teacher who is trying to do right by the kids under her care. However, the disaster brings out her mama bear instincts in a startling but sweet way. I’m not going to give much of anything away here, but I will say that Nyong’o’s work is worth the price of admission on its own!

Josh Gad caps off the adults as Teddy McGiggle. Much like the other two leads, viewers might get the impression that Teddy is just a parody of kid-friendly television personalities. With that said, Gad gets the chance to play with some extremely dark comedy, and he does so without phoning it in. I can’t really tell you much more without spoiling some of the funniest and most cringe-worthy lines in the movie, so I won’t.

Little Monsters sets itself apart with its kids as well. In many movies, audiences might wonder why children are even there, especially since the characters are written to be annoying. Fortunately, Forsythe steers clear of that pitfall by making them somewhat realistic. They’re more than a little frightened by the events of the movie, so they latch on to trustworthy adults. The obvious stand-out of the bunch is Felix (Diesel La Torraca), who gets a hero moment that is as absurd as it is sweet.

It’s A Rom-Zom-Com?

Appearances can be a little deceiving.

At this point in time, I think it’s fair to say that stories about the undead are overdone, but Little Monsters sets itself apart by adding a healthy dose of realism to its unreal plot.

As I mentioned above, Dave starts off halfway in the gutter, so he moves in with his sister and Felix. One day, he drops off his nephew at school, meets Miss Caroline, and is instantly smitten by her. In his quest to get the girl, he volunteers to chaperone a field trip to a petting zoo… which just so happens to be next to a U.S. Military base. A little while after they get there, all hell breaks loose.

Sure, it may seem to be a little basic, but the intelligence and competence of most of the adults makes the movie far more interesting than the traditional zombie fare.

In a strange twist, Little Monsters adds something new to the mix through its music. England and Nyong’o get to show off their talents throughout the movie in heartwarming and hilarious ways, even if it’s just on a ukulele or an electric guitar. You, dear reader, might see one obvious musical reference coming on the romantic side of the plot, but it’s so sugary sweet that it’s worth it.

I’m Sure There Are Flaws, But…

I knew what I wanted from Josh Gad’s character… and I got it! Hooray!

I’m almost certain that Little Monsters has some flaws in it, but I didn’t notice them when I saw the movie. While one could say that the 94-minute running time allowed Forsythe to steer clear of pacing issues, I think it’s important to examine why romantic comedies usually don’t work.

Normal rom-coms typically present themselves as a purely pro-woman fantasy with a simplified plot. The girl meets a boy, they get into a relationship for reasons, there’s a “comedic misunderstanding” that’s almost always the boy’s fault, the couple breaks up, and they make up at the airport just before she leaves. If you want a formula that has been beaten more often than a dead horse, there you go.

Thankfully, Little Monsters doesn’t do that. It’s still about a boy who meets a girl, but the story acknowledges that Dave and Audrey are human beings with strengths and weaknesses. On top of that, there’s a fairly legitimate reason why these two might fall for one another. After all, wouldn’t you feel something for a person who is attractive, interested in you, good with kids, and resourceful in a life-threatening situation?

I know I would.

Conclusion.

Dave and Felix’s family bond is one of the best parts of this movie.

Little Monsters is beyond adorable and a blast to watch from beginning to end. The characters are different from the norm, the story innovates on an old formula, and there is enough zombie killing and comedy here to make you laugh and cringe at the same time. If this is what a director is capable of on his second outing, then I can’t wait to see what Abe Forsythe does next.

Watch this movie.