Monster Limited Edition Blu-ray Review

5 star astonishing true crime biopic.

Based on a true story, Monster was the stunning feature debut of Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984) who both wrote and directed this masterpiece of modern filmmaking.

It is available now in the UK on Limited Edition Blu-ray courtesy of Second Sight Films.

“I always wanted to be in the movies. When I was little I thought for sure one day, I could be a big, big star. Or maybe just beautiful, beautiful and rich, like the women on T.V. Yeah,I had a lot of dreams. And I guess you could call me a real romantic, because I truly believed that one day, it may come true.”

Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road, The Addams Family) is a prostitute working the streets of Daytona Beach and on the verge of committing suicide. With $5 left in her pocket, she decides to give God one last chance, she will spend the money in a local bar and then go.

Clearly he was listening because in  the bar she meets Selby (Christina Ricci – Cursed, Casper), a young girl at odds with her family who are determined to ‘cure’ her of her lesbianism. To her surprise, Aileen finds she identifies with her and the two quickly fall in love.

The two move in together, but Aileen’s decision to quit prostitution causes conflict as she fails to support them. An attempt to return to the profession goes horribly wrong when the client beats and rapes her and she kills him in self defence.

She confesses to Selby, who forgives her and the car and money they got as a result certainly comes in handy. Once she has the taste for it, Aileen begins to make her living from killing her clients and taking their belongings.  How long can the pair survive on this destructive path?

“They would see me for what I could be and think I was beautiful, like a diamond in the rough. They would take me away to my new life and my new world where everything would be different. Yeah, I lived that way for a long, long time, in my head, dreaming like that. It was nice. But one day, it just stopped.”

Monster is a remarkable film, not least because of the acting performances. Charize Theron turns in a performance so incredible that she completely inhabits the character of Aileen, being unrecognizable however hard you try. Unsurprisingly she won an oscar for this absolute masterclass. Chriatina Ricci is also brilliant as the submissive and naive Selby.

The story of Aileen Wuornos is a sad one, told in this film in a way that allows us to understand the hand she was dealt to end up the way she did. We see how she tried to change when she found love, even when she didn’t really posess the tools to do so and how she unfortunately found out her true talent was for murder on a grand scale.

Deeply disturbing, dark but occasionally humorous and enjoyable in spite of everything, this unrelenting look at the downfall of a serial killer is compelling viewing and should grace any film collection. Packed with special features, this new Blu-ray Edition is a must own.

“I thought that if I bought you some beer you’d talk to me. I’m just trying to have one decent night out, just talk to someone before I have to go back to my parent’s closet, I… I’m sorry. You don’t have to stay.”

Monster is available to buy now on Limited Edition Blu-ray.

Special Features:

• Archive audio Commentary with Writer / Director Parry Jenkins, Actor / Producer Charlize Theron and Producer Clark Peterson
• Making a Murderer: a new interview with Director Patty Jenkins
• Producing a Monster: a new interview with Producer Brad Wyman
• Light From Within: a new interview with DoP Steven Bernstein
• Monster: The Vision and Journey
• Based on a True Story: The Making of Monster
• Deleted and Extended Scenes with Director Commentary
• Monster: Evolution of the Score
• Original Trailer
• English subtitles for the hearing impaired

Limited Edition Contents:

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Daniel Benneworth-Gray
• Soft cover book with new essays by Anton Bitel, Hannah Strong & Shelagh Rowan-Legg
• 6 collectors’ art cards