‘We’re gonna have so much fun!’
Making Monsters is a 2019 Canadian horror film about a celebrity YouTube couple’s weekend getaway that becomes a nightmare.
Directed by Rob Brunner and Justin Harding from a screenplay written by the latter, The movie stars Alana Elmer (shorts: Latched; Kookie), Tim Loden (Scary Tales TV series), Jonathan Craig (short: Carved), Jarrett Sidda (shorts: Latched; Kookie) and Peter Higginson (short: Point of View).
Plot:
When a celebrity couple famed for their YouTube scare-prank channel are invited to a friend’s converted church in the countryside for a weekend getaway, a series of startling events unfold that spiral them into an inexplicable nightmare…
Reviews:
“There is a lot to like here, and when it works, this is a film that is well worth the watch. I just wish they had dialled back some of the ideas to really flesh out and explore what was on display, making for a higher watch. However, even with these gripes Making Monsters is a fun horror film that plays with some great ideas and executes on most of them.” CGM Backlot magazine
“Effectively drawing out the tension, Making Monsters soars thanks to the strong performance by Elmer. Gifted with the ability to convey various levels of terror and confusion in her face, Elmer is a revelation to watch. While the supernatural subtext could have been better fleshed out, Making Monsters succeeds in providing chills and thrills.” Cinema Axis
“Making Monsters feels like an ode to classic horror movies while looking at them through the eyes of modern online content creators. The film has an engaging mystery element that keeps you guessing, and is worth the payoff.” Fear Forever
“Making Monsters succeeds at delivering some creepy visuals, thrilling sequences, and more than a few story turns to keep viewers interested and alert. There’s also a pretty nifty beat involving a pitchfork, and that’s not something you see every day on YouTube. Unlike stupid “prank” shows…” Film School Rejects
“The movie felt at times that it wanted to be a stalker/thriller movie, and at other times a ghost story. The two never really married up properly, and I hate to say it, but could have used a bit of exposition to explain the ghostly actions. In the end, I got it, but I would have like to have been clued in earlier.” The Scariest Things
“Making Monsters successfully adds a few twists and turns in its plot that I didn’t necessarily expect, which is to its credit, and much of the film’s overall success depends on the good acting performances of the three leads as the power dynamic shifts around and the film heads off in its different directions.” Warped Perspective
“Making Monsters is perfectly fine, even enjoyable. The actors are all quite good at appearing genuine and quirky. The make-up and practical effects are top-notch. Even the narrative manages to hit plenty of high notes. But based on the film’s foundation, Making Monsters is still a marginal disappointment.” Wylie Writes
Release:
Making Monsters premiered at the Fantasy Filmfest in Germany on September 5th 2019 before being shown at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival on October 20th 2019.
The film will be released on Digital and On-Demand by Samuel Goldwyn Films on March 26th 2021.
Notes:
We first covered this movie on September 23rd 2019 but have reposted it to tie-in with the US release news.
Trailer:
YouTube reviews:
