The Monster Squad Review

Okay I decided to move back to the horror genre for this next review, but this film just happens to be a horror-comedy! How's that for a change? And I am jumping into the 80s. I know I'm jumping all over the place, but that's kind of what I do, considering I am a movie maniac! Anyway, this week's film is a keeper because it does a similar strategy to what House of Dracula, or House of Frankenstein did, but in a quirky and creative sort of way. I am of course talking about Fred Dekker's The Monster Squad. Every person that I have described this film to has heard the following comparison from me: This film is like The Goonies with movie monsters. This is not a bad thing at all. In fact, I find it to be very clever in a way that not only is the film gaining a younger audience with children being involved, but the classic horror movie monsters are being immortalized even more at the same time. Plus, the monsters are just incredible, and we can thank the late great Stan Winston for them. In my opinion, these monsters are underrated, and not talked about enough. I feel like the Predator, and the Terminator are talked about more, but this film had some great monsters designs, and I will definitely be sure to discuss this further in the review. Let's not wait any longer. It is time for monster movie mania. It's The Monster Squad!

The Monster Squad was released in 1987. The plot is basically this, after 100 years, Dracula, played by Duncan Regehr, the Wolfman, the Mummy, Gillman, and Frankenstein's monster, played by Tom Noonan have returned and are looking to destroy an amulet which will upset the balance between good and evil, and there is only one group of masterminds that can stop them, a group of vicious middle school kids and a not so Scary German Guy! The whole film centers around The Monster Squad which includes Sean (Andre Gower), Patrick (Robby Kiger), Horace (Brent Chalem), Rudy (Ryan Lambert), Eugene (Michael Faustino), and Phoebe (Ashley Bank). And, of course, what would this movie be without Scary German Guy played by Leonardo Cimino.

Scary German Guy

LIKES

• I mentioned it earlier, and I will say it again, the monsters are incredible! I mean really check these guys out!

 

Winston did an amazing job with the make-up and creature costumes! I mean look at Gillman! Look at him! He is just awesome in his scary glory, and the Wolfman isn't half bad either! Winston tried to re-imagine these characters in a way, and boy did he succeed!

• The Monster Squad is really cool! I especially like the fact that this film shows how kids handle monsters. No adults will believe them except for Scary German Guy. The kids run the show, and it is really intriguing to see how they take on these horror icons!
• You know those 80's montages? Well, there is one in here, and it is awesome! I don't know, there is just something about it that really gets me excited for the showdown with the monsters.
• Okay, so there is this fat kid in the movie named Horace, and he is awesome! He has some of the funniest lines in the movie actually!

My name.......is Horace!

 DISLIKES

• My biggest dislike of this movie is that it is too short! It is not even an hour and a half! It doesn't have to be over two hours to keep my attention, but you could add some minutes onto the film! Plus, sometimes, it seems like the monsters aren't given enough screen time, and then they are just killed off quickly. For example, we see the mummy in like three scenes, and then he finally attacks the squad, and he is killed in like 2 minutes! Gillman didn't seem to be utilized that much as well. Why? He is so cool! I wish they would have shown him fight more. It really seemed to be more about the Wolfman, which is cool, but unfair at the same time!
• Phoebe is super annoying in this movie! I know little girls are supposed to be cute and loveable, but she tests my patience way too much. The only good scene with her in it is when Dracula picks her up by her face, and scares the living crap out of her, but that still doesn;' save her as a character. Her purpose seems to be just to annoy people.

Phoebe looking scared!

OVERALL
This movie is awesome, especially if you are a monster fan like me! It is an oldie, but a goodie, and I recommend it if you are looking a for something scary and funny!

RATING 7/10 Yeah it could be longer, which would give the monsters more screen time, but hey it still deserves a high rating for the quality of the monsters.

That is it from me this week! Continue to follow along each week from me the Movie Maniac! The mania goes on and on!