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★★★★
Directed by: #RahulNath
Written by: #KshitijSalve & #RahulNath
Starring: #YogitaChavan, #ArjunShrivasttav, #ManojMatthew, #PrernaGandhi, #RajendraJadav
A gifted cop tracks down two killers: one who kills for pleasure and the other who kills for need as the lines between reality and the supernatural blur.
Rahul Nath’s exciting mystery/thriller, Monster, tackles the grim subject of murder. This slow burning pilot for a future feature length film is a stunningly simple yet affective and entertaining piece. Opening with a great monologue from our first killer, the steady camerawork pulls us in and reveals his identity, backed by a suspenseful and eerie score by Rajesh Ravi. The flashy and artful intro credits are just as fun to watch as the film itself, and display several key scenes that will follow. Soon after, as the short ticks along, the second killer is revealed and it’s handled in such a way that there is a little more fleshy texture to it, as if to depart from its noticeably predictable nature.
Nath’s direction is exceptional, giving clear example of his skill behind the camera. Monster is the pilot for a feature length, but it works as its own short film as well. Not only that, it has the bones of a TV show, which is evident in the general layout and pacing of the film. Regardless of which route the filmmakers go down for Monster, whether it’s TV or film, I’m certain it will be well executed and appropriately received by audiences.
The acting from the two leads (both killers with different motives) is fantastic, lending the film a realistic tone and keeping the dialogue natural. Supporting them are a collection of vibrant characters, performed delightfully. Everything about this short excels, including the technical aspects. A key thing I always listen out for when watching anything is the sound. Recording, design, editing. Sound is in most cases MORE important than the visual. It helps with attachment to characters, scenes, locations, worlds. The sound design by Sarit Chatterjee is stellar. Every scene is complemented well not only by this, but the atmosphere created in Ravi’s music score. They both provide the aural experience that is absolutely essential.
As the film creeped up on its cliff hanger ending, I found myself wanting for more. If there’s one thing I can fault Monster on, it’s the short run time. But, thankfully, Nath plans to do more with the story and hopefully soon we will see the feature length version of this strangely inviting tale. Monster is ambitious, entertaining, and especially well crafted and I look forward to seeing more.
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