Microbudget filmmaker Michael Rock is back with another found footage film. However, The Murder of the Monster marks his first solo feature-length effort. It’s also a bit of a departure for the producer/writer/director (and real-life ex-Green Beret) in that it’s not a straight-up genre piece. There are thriller elements present, to be sure, but this is more of a message movie. The topic at hand is domestic violence.
Annie Lane is our lead, the initially exuberant Jessica. While a brief prolog clues us in that something will soon go horribly wrong, Jessica seems happy at first. It’s not long before her boyfriend Wyatt (Eddie Blake) transforms from a big cuddly teddy bear into a hulking monster, though. As Wyatt’s outbursts gradually increase in their brutality, Jessica hides cameras all over their house to capture an unflinching account of the aggression. Significant supporting roles belong to Amanda Morgan as Jessica’s best friend and Shane D Lux as a police detective. Blake Hyer, Maxwell Golden, and Dustin Tamplen cameo as circus performers practicing in a park.
The film is presented as a collection of camera phone videos and security cam footage. Rock is credited as the cinematographer, although I’m guessing Lane and Blake shot at least some of the phone stuff. Jessica’s determination to record every angle of her situation has a practical purpose, in that it’s necessary for us to see everything for the narrative to be executed. It also gives the film a distinct look, though. There are numerous long unbroken takes that are completely stationary. This forces us to bear witness to the awful occurrences on the screen, but it also creates a sort of theatrical play type of aesthetic.
Rock’s scripting places the emphasis on Jessica’s experience of her relationship. The film maintains an almost laser-like focus on her life over the course of around a week. This ensures that there’s no room for sympathy for Wyatt at all. We get a few glimpses of what he was like in the early days of their dating and what he does for a living (governmental corruption is a minor theme), but ultimately it’s his despicable actions alone that define him to us. The conceit that Jessica is recording everything may not come across as entirely sensible, but Lane does a great job of convincing us that this is something her character is compelled to do. The conviction with which Rock directs also subsumes any doubts we might have about the veracity of the approach.
Speaking of performances, Lane capably carries the film. She comes off as a woman who could be our neighbor, our sister, or a friend. It’s her absolute normalcy that sells the theme of the film and which also makes what happens in the film’s final act so horribly and shockingly tragic. Blake is certainly convincing as an intimidating abuser. His role calls for a certain amount of physicality, and while the violence he inflicts isn’t at Hollywood levels of verisimilitude, it’s still admirable how well he sells it. Morgan has the most difficult arc to fulfill and she manages to nail it in limited screen time. Lux is engaging in a turn that requires a bit of misdirection.
There’s a decided lack of music, although I appreciated the queasy piece that’s draped over a pivotal scene toward the end. Rock’s editing capably stitches together the different styles of footage to maintain a traditional narrative while still staying out of the way enough that we completely buy the found footage illusion. Special effects are limited, but I think that’s also helpful in crafting the aforementioned illusion. In any case, they’re effective.
Michael Rock is sincere in his desire to shine a light on domestic violence through The Murder of the Monster. He goes so far as to appear onscreen after the film concludes to speak plainly and directly to the audience. That sincerity shines through the rest of the film, as well. It’s an upsetting subject, no doubt, but he delivers a matter-of-fact piece that eschews both titillation and bleakness. That’s not to say he doesn’t cultivate some tension and he wisely ensures that the overall vibe is heavy. At a scant 69 minutes, his storytelling is lean and purposeful. Keeping in mind the budget was likely less than $5K, The Murder of the Monster is recommended for fans of Bully, Irreversible, and The Sacrament. Rock and his production partners are currently seeking out a distribution deal, but I'm guessing you'll be able to catch this on a streaming service in the near future.
Michael Cavender