33. Monsters And Men; movie review
MONSTERS AND MEN
Cert 15
95 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language
Has violence in America really spun out of control to such an extent that lives count so little?
If so, why is its president concentrating so much on one small element of a very big picture with his southern border wall?
Why does he defend the huge number of weapons in American society and ignore the catalogue of violent deaths which happen every day?
As Reinaldo Marcus Green's Monsters And Men demonstrates - these guns make both the public and the police nervous.
Those who are meant to protect are constantly on edge fearing that they could be shot and the consequence is that they are sometimes too quick with their own trigger fingers.
Green's film alights upon the police shooting of an unarmed black man which is videoed by an unassuming member (Anthony Ramos) of the tight-knit community.
Thereafter, he is faced with the question of whether he should use the footage, balancing the desire to dissent against a cruel system against the safety of his family.
Monsters and Men emphasises the violation felt by those who are stopped and searched, knowing that a disproportionate number are black.
The action is seen to turn law-abiders against the authorities.
Kelvin Harrison Jr is an example - a baseball talent who usually plays by the rules but is outraged by his handling by police officers and the establishment's attitude towards the fatal shooting.
Meanwhile, John David Washington finds himself torn by his duty as a black officer and the angry questions from his nearest and dearest.
His response? "One cop goes too far and then we are all guilty? One cop's mistake and now we are all to blame. You have a gun pointed at your head and then talk to me about training!"
And yet, he knows he is defending a force which does have racists among its bad apples.
Green's film makes similar points to The Hate U Give, similarly emphasising that there are monsters in all walks of society and that there are men who will stand up to the system and do what is right.
However, its impact is reduced by its use of hand-held cameras which are designed to bring the audience closer to the action.
Instead of making the movie edgier, this technique gave me a bit of a headache.
I also think it is a mistake that the key scene takes place away from the lens. This reduces the shock value considerably.
However, the movie's aims are laudable and are another reminder that the American establishment has got its priorities wrong.
Reasons to watch: Frightening portrayal of victimisation of a black community
Reasons to avoid: It's hand-held cameras induce a headache
Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10
Did you know? In 2015, racial minorities made up about 37.4 per cent of the population of the United States but they made up 62.7 per cent of unarmed people killed by police. In 2017, 129 police officers were killed with 46 of those deaths caused by gunfire.
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