Director / Nacho Vigalondo (TIMECRIMES, OPEN WINDOWS)
Stars/ Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens and Austin Stowell

An original concept created by Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo, COLOSSAL poses an outlandish quest for its lead character – how is the sudden appearance of a giant monster somehow connected to the mental meltdown she is having!?

Succumbing to the hands of financial hardship after being kicked out of her boyfriend’s New York apartment, Gloria (Hathaway) reluctantly returns to the town that she grew up in. Soon after, she reacquaints with an old friend from elementary school, Oscar (Sudeikis) who provides Gloria with some much needed emotional and financial support. As the days pass by, Gloria must discover how her psychological state is linked to the actions of a Kaiju that is demolishing the city of Seoul, South Korea.

COLOSSAL is a playfully original film that for the first two thirds stages its odd premise and develops its characters and plot in very amusing style. In the final act of the film, a noticeably darker tone is adopted as the film’s key points are illustrated.

This science-fiction faux comedy deliberately draws in plenty of curiosity and sets an early climax that provokes questions to be answered with great anticipation: What is this connection exactly? How will it be explained? The far-fetched fantasy is captured with as much realism as it can reach, making for a winsome movie experience that often evokes laughter before it reveals its honest nature. And although there is limited monster action for those who may be craving it, this monster is used more in a metaphorical sense.

Once the tonal shift of COLOSSAL is made, its transition and sharpness could test the endurance of some viewers who were previously enjoying what they were seeing. This is one example of a few points of execution that this movie just doesn’t quite nail. Another is the satisfaction level gained from the script’s explanation to support its connections and actions. Just how firmly COLOSSAL will hold up against your expectations, which the movie itself sets up, will depend largely on these aspects explored in the latter half. Refreshing and original without being revolutionary, it is the best of what COLOSSAL has to offer that far outweighs all else.

3 ½ stars

Viewer Discretion/ M (mature themes, violence and coarse language)

Trailer / COLOSSAL

Moviedoc thanks Transmission Films and The Backlot Studios for the invite to this film screening.

Review by Moviedoc / “LIKE” on Facebook – Moviedoc

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