Monster Summer Movie Review

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The Monster Summer movie is an action-packed thriller that successfully captures the feel of 90s cinema. With solid performances and a gripping story, it's an enjoyable watch for those who love adventure and suspense. Though it’s not recommended for young children due to some frightening scenes, the film offers a fun and nostalgic escape for older audiences.

Mason Thames and Mel Gibson in Monster Summer
Novo Media Group

Novo Media Group's Monster Summer movie is a nostalgic thriller reminiscent of 1990s action films. This film follows a young boy and his search for a monster which is taking out his friends one by one. 

When something sinister starts happening to Noah's friends, he knows it’s more than just a prank—something darker is at play. And he's about to find out just what exactly when he embarks on a monster hunt with retired detective Gene Carruthers. 

Originally titled The Boys of Summer, the film is set in the late 1990s on the small island Martha's Vineyard. With a lot of small town drama to fuel his writing, Noah Reed dreams of following in his father’s footsteps as a renowned journalist.

But his stories are all turned down by the paper for their negative take on things that happened years ago.

"What this island needs is light-hearted news," he is told again and again. Determined to make a name for himself, Noah hunts for the breakthrough story that will finally get him published.

What he doesn't expect is a story to come find him in the form of a sinister creature who begins to work in Noah's circles.

Nostalgia Meets Suspense In The Monster Summer Movie

Monster Summer takes audiences on a thrilling ride filled with action, adventure, and horror as Noah and his newfound friend Gene hunt for the creature preying on children across the island.

Although I am not from the generation that grew up with movies from the 90s, Monster Summer successfully captures the era's atmosphere. The film cleverly nods to classics like The Sandlot, with Patrick Renna playing the role of umpire, as well as Signs with the mirror-under-the-door trick. The use of props, like outdated electric typewriters, bicycles as transportation, and a treehouse club, reinforces the 90s vibe. Even the heavy reliance on baseball as a pastime added to the 90's film feeling.

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The movie is also reminiscent of films like Jumanji and Jurassic Park, where an adult character steps forward to protect the children when no one else will listen or is there to help.

All this being said, I don't think there was a strong lesson taught in the film. I think the main intention was to give viewers something new and fresh that was similar to the the kinds of films people used to enjoy watching during the 90s but with the morals of a film from the 1960's.

Nothing immodest, suggestive or otherwise unseemly appeared in the film.

I also appreciated that the film carried a strong sense of appropriateness of roles. The girls portrayed weren't overly guyish, just normal girls who tag along without there being some sort of agenda pushed. The monster is a witch who is destroyed in the end without any sort of "good side" being portrayed, giving audiences a detestation for what is evil.

It's a film made to entertain, providing a clean, family-friendly adventure without pushing an agenda.

The Dynamic Duo: Novice Journalist And Veteran Detective On The Monster Hunt

The film focuses on a young boy named Noah Reed. This young teenager has no greater desire than to make a name for himself by getting a story published in the local newspaper: a story so shocking and interesting that it will leave all his readers hungry for more. In a twist of fate, he and his friends break into the shed of a lonely old retired detective Gene Carruthers.

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Mason Thames in Monster Summer
Novo Media Group

It is at that moment that they think they escape the greatest danger of their lives when they flee from his backyard moments after he catches sight of them.

Little do they know that something much more frightening than a harmless old man is about to enter their lives. 

Noah's real quest begins after his friend Ben suffers a strange swimming accident, leaving him in a state of unresponsiveness. As more kids fall victim to the same mysterious ailment, Noah turns to the mysterious Gene Carruthers for help.

Gene, still haunted by the disappearance of his own son years ago, is initially skeptical. But as the danger intensifies, the unlikely duo races against time to stop the monster's reign of terror.

Gene Carruthers (Mel Gibson) is the unassuming hero of the film. This retired detective is driven by a deep grief and wishes only to be left alone. After his son was abducted many years ago, he did all in his power to find him again, becoming a detective to further look into where his young son may have disappeared to.

After years of searching, Gene retires to Martha's Vineyard hoping to live out the rest of his life in peace, reminiscing over better days. His mystifying presence on the island sparks rumors and there is more than one alarming story that is circulated about the secretive man.

It is one of these stories that Noah thinks he can make it big on telling.

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Gene is surprised when Noah returns after he scares off the three children who stumbled into his backyard. When Noah first tells him of his suspicions regarding the fact that something strange may have happened to Ben, Gene first scoffs and tries to push Noah away.

But Noah is persistent and other cases similar to Ben's begin to appear, causing Gene to become the only adult believing Noah's story about a monster or mystical forces acting on the youth of the island.

As more and more kids become swept into the strange state of lifeless insensitivity the old man and teenage boy team find that they are going to need to act quickly if they are to stop the power sweeping up the young lives of hundreds of kids across the state of Massachusetts. 

Monster Summer Movie: Action, Adventure, and Suspense

Abby James Witherspoon, Julian Lerner, and Mason Thames in Monster Summer
Novo Media Group

Monster Summer holds your attention from start to finish. While the monster’s ultimate defeat is predictable, the film still offers enough surprises to keep you on edge. An interesting twist that gave the film another element of intensity was the fact that Gene eventually decides to travel to another city to learn more about the monster's habits.

While he is gone, the children discover which person in their acquaintance the monster is disguising itself as. This causes them to move in on the monster alone. 

I watched this film with the older five of my brothers and sisters. At one point I even said out loud, "I'm at least comforted to know that eventually Mel Gibson is going to get here and save them." But even when he does, getting rid of the monster is not as easy as he thinks, reminding me of the part in The Mummy when the character Rick says, "We are in big trouble!"

WATCH Monster Summer Now on Amazon. 

The film was very intense and even quite frightening. I don't know if it's because I have always seen the same scary films from my childhood into my adulthood, but I think this is one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. 

I also don't particularly like being scared.

I never watch all out horror films because they just aren't my cup of tea. In this film, the monster's psychological tricks are scarier than its physical appearance, adding a layer of suspense that keeps you engaged. The script does a great job of pulling audiences into the story, and the mix of lighthearted moments with scary sequences provides a well-balanced viewing experience.

Throughout the film, Noah is hellbent on telling a story that everyone will read. In the end, a much more wonderful story finds its way to him and, instead of spreading gossip, he is able to tell a story that really matters and betters people's opinions of Detective Carruthers, cementing his place as a true journalist.

Final Thoughts On The Monster Summer Movie

Monster Summer is an action-packed thriller that successfully captures the feel of 90s cinema. With solid performances and a gripping story, it's an enjoyable watch for those who love adventure and suspense. Though it’s not recommended for young children due to some frightening scenes, the film offers a fun and nostalgic watch for older audiences.

Did Monster Summer Manage To Capture The 90s Thriller Nostalgia For You? Share Your Thoughts!