Monster [2004] Movie Reviews on CinemaClock

Let's get one thing straight off the bat: forget that the big, sloppy, goony beast on the screen is ultra-hot babe Charlize Theron. Just wipe that idea from your mind straight off. You'll drive yourself mad trying to find the resemblance. That being said, Monster is a great movie about the mind of a female serial killer. Some critics are coming down hard on the movie because they say it validates her horrific crimes. I did not think so: the movie merely showed us all the facets of the woman, including what may have led to her becoming a serial killer. It is then left up to us to decide if there was any validity in her actions. I felt that no, she was not justified in doing what she did, regardless of her circumstances. I suppose I disagree with the director because it appears she was trying to bring some sympathy to the character. Of course, I felt some sympathy at times, but that passed. People are complex beings, right? Since I don't really know all the details of the life of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, I cannot judge how much this movie stuck to the facts and how much it embellished or invented them, so I can only judge it as a movie. It was terrific. The acting was top-notch, the story was brilliant, Christina Ricci was wonderfully naive and gave a performance that should not be overshadowed by Charlize Theron's ghastly transformation. It may make you a little squeamish at times, but if you have the stomach for it, I highly recommend it. I was sucked in from the moment it started to the last credit. And that last look from Charlize is a doozie. If I didn't know better, I would swear she was coming for me next. Brrr!