Here's an honest review of A Brilliant Monster. First off, it is labeled a horror movie and there are some horror elements which are revealed very early in the movie, but don't expect any blood or gore. All of the action takes place off screen and it would legitimately be classified as a thriller if it wasn't for the "monster" as there are no scary scenes to speak of.
The production of the film is not going to impress anybody. The cinematography, acting, and sound design are below average at best. It does not ruin the movie by itself but it does kinda leave a bad taste in your mouth.
So a low budget Indie horror movie with low production and no scares needs to have a damn good story if it's going to make any kind of an impression at all. Unfortunately, the story is both the high and low part of this film. It does try out some original ideas, but it's ultimately a one note story that is nonsensical and grows tedious by the end. There are really no twists here and once the originality is revealed early on in the movie, it never grows past it or expands on it in any way whatsoever. There is no explanation or really any conclusion to the story either and it would have worked much better as a short film instead of a feature length one.
Overall, I applaud them for trying something a little different. Sort of like "The Babadook", they tried to put a new spin on the genre, but honestly it falls flat and is no where near the caliber of film. Not the worst movie ever, but it's slow story that could have easily been told in a half hour and unflattering production values make this a pass for me. 4/10
