Why you should watch Love and Monsters when it comes to streaming

This post contains MILD SPOILERS for Love and Monsters

Joel Dawson is not your average hero. Droll, endearing and comically inexperienced, he has no discernible survival skills. He wields a crossbow with worrying inaccuracy, demonstrates a sketchy sense of direction and has a severe freezing problem in the face of impending danger. Terrific artist, though!

So what does he do in a world overrun by monstrous mutated creatures with an appetite for people-sized snacks? Isn’t it obvious? He leaves the safety of his underground bunker and risks life and limb during a seven-day journey to reunite with his high school sweetheart, because why not? That’s the kind of devotion I like to see. Friends, Love and Monsters was the best thing to happen to me in 2020 and I’ll die on this hill.

Starring the supremely talented Dylan O’Brien, Game of Thrones veteran Jessica Henwick, Michael Rooker, Ariana Greenblatt and the coolest dog in town, Love and Monsters circumvents the typical post-apocalyptic gloom with its decisively upbeat narrative. While having distinctly familiar elements and themes, it feels refreshingly unique in all the ways that count. It’s just so darn enjoyable and it’ll be available on streaming services soon!

The movie was originally set to be released in February of 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Paramount announced it would be released via Video on Demand on October 16, 2020. Additionally, it played in 387 theaters from October 16 – 18, 2020. Since this film came out, I’ve watched it more times than I’m comfortable admitting to — trust me, it deserves a much wider audience than it’s gotten.

Then, this magical Twitter exchange happened. Decider pointed out that Love and Monsters would be a “global obsession” if Netflix streamed it and Dylan O’Brien himself tagged Netflix. Tweets were tweeted, announcements were made: short, sweet, getting shizz done.

There you have it! Love and Monsters is coming to Netflix this spring…outside the US. There’s no word yet on whether it will come to Netflix in the US, however, because the movie is distributed by Paramount, it’ll probably be on Paramount+ when that streaming service launches in March.

Here’s why you should watch Love and Monsters when it hits streaming

Now, why should you watch Love and Monsters when it’s released, you ask, aside from the reasons I’ve just mentioned? Oh, I’ll tell you. This entertaining adventure comedy is the consummate mix of lightheartedness, emotional depth and action, strengthened by energetic, authentic performances across the board.

Rich in cinematic detail, the derelict post-apocalyptic world inhabited by murderous critters is brought to egg-infested cobweb-covered life. Massive frogs, centipedes, crabs as well as Chumblers and Sand Gobblers — so named by the character Minnow (Greenblatt), and perhaps because they’ve mutated beyond recognition? — roam freely, unchallenged. Visually, these creatures do not disappoint and the special effects are fantastic.

The action sequences are fast-paced and thrilling, thanks in no small part to O’Brien’s tremendous agility and physicality. Easily one of the most naturally gifted, versatile and charismatic actors around, his range and ability are extraordinary, and it shows in his performance: Joel brings the cheerful comedy and energy but he also sells the pain. O’Brien is joined by a superb cast who deliver strong, earnest performances.

The “monsterpocalyptic” feature hilariously follows the ill-equipped Joel (O’Brien) as he stumbles, falls and flees on his quest to rekindle an old flame. He gradually (so very gradually) sheds his naivety, never his determination, in a landscape fraught with danger. To put it succinctly, Joel almost dies. A lot. But with a bit of lifesaving assistance, survival classes from a pair of kind, accommodating strangers and the loyalty of a dog, he presses on and emerges as quite the impressive figure.

Every apocalypse worth its salt begins with a great world-ending scenario, and the movie opens with Joel explaining this one. After humanity used rockets to destroy an asteroid making a beeline for Earth, the chemicals rained back down, transforming innocuous insects, amphibians, crustaceans and other cold-blooded creatures into killer beasts that now dominate the surface. It’s unclear why only cold-blooded animals were affected but I’m not losing any sleep over it.

Joel lived in the town of Fairfield, California, which was essentially Ground Zero. He was forced to separate from his girlfriend, Aimee (Henwick), when the carnage started, but not before declaring his feelings and vowing to come and find her. He helplessly watched as his parents were killed before promptly being carted off by other survivors. The majority of Earth’s population was wiped out and the survivors have been living in colonies — underground bunkers, caves etc. — ever since.

Seven years have passed and 24-year-old Joel has found his niche as his colony’s radio-fixing minestrone maker, staying below ground because he poses a danger to himself and others on food-foraging missions. He creates a type of monster survival guide, drawing the creatures he’s encountered along with informative notes about them in an effort to bolster his sense of usefulness and as a coping mechanism. He also acutely feels his status as the only single person in the bunker.

By a stroke of luck/relentless perseverance, he manages to track down and reconnect with Aimee via radio, whom he also sweetly writes letters to. After a tragic incident occurs, Joel declares that she was the only person who truly made him happy and he doesn’t want to die alone. Unburdened by any notion of self-preservation, he impetuously decides to make the week-long trek to her beach colony, despite valid objections from his bunker family.

“Hey Aimee, I’m coming to see you, are you as excited as I am?”… is probably the conversation he should’ve had before setting off. However, Joel was only a teenager when tragedy struck and Aimee was most likely his first (and only) love. His socialization takes place underground and he spends a lot of time with a cow and a non-functioning robot. He’s also surrounded by loved-up couples. Why wouldn’t putting his life in danger to surprise her in the hopes of picking up where they left off seem like a great idea? Joel may be lacking essential life skills and experience, but he’s a product of circumstance.

Joel’s care-free attitude is as alarming as it is cute. Shortly after leaving, his breezy stroll through the collapsed world soon turns life-threatening. He befriends the goodest boy, named Boy, after the dog rescues him from certain death. Boy is without his owner and Joel is without, well, anyone. Needless to say, but I’ll say it anyway, the two strike up a beautiful friendship. Their interaction while traversing the perilous terrain is one of my favorite things about this movie.

He encounters the seasoned survivalist Clyde (Rooker) and his spirited 8-year-old companion Minnow, who help him out of another pickle. They live on the surface and are making their way to a mountain colony that’s said to be safe. After he learns that a creature is on his trail, it starts to dawn on Joel that he may not make it on his own (growth!) and they graciously allow him to accompany them until their paths diverge.

Clyde and Minnow become Joel’s friends and mentors. They share their valuable skills and knowledge with him, including the revelation that some creatures aren’t bad, something Joel learns firsthand. Minnow has no problem pointing out Joel’s shortcomings and Clyde provides the reality check he needs. However, they’re both a source of wisdom and encouragement, giving Joel the confidence boost (and hand grenade) he needs mentally to survive the rest of his journey.

Love and Monsters is about so much more than questionable decisions and the threat of death dwelling in every dark hole and crevice. It underscores the need for human connection and questions how far one will go to find it. It also explores the subject of loss and how experiencing loss can, in itself, forge those emotional connections. Joel, Clyde, Minnow and even Boy have all lost loved ones.

One of the more emotionally charged scenes is also one of the strongest. It involves a dilapidated motel, a functioning Mav1s robot and a dirty broken couch; the pace and mood shift discernibly as Joel pauses to reflect and ask the difficult questions. Additionally, we witness his touching, heartfelt display of grief, giving us a true indication of the loss and guilt he’s been living with. In an inspired move, the writers deliver a brilliant flash of beauty and nostalgia — Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” playing against the dazzling backdrop of floating jellyfish — before reality sets back in.

I liked, nay, loved Joel’s character arc. His learning curve, given the time period, is reasonably fast but realistic. He courageously steps up to save his four-legged companion when the need arises, but he also momentarily lapses into his singular way of thinking, ignoring his surroundings. His intense focus on the prospect of a potential romantic rival at Aimee’s colony leads them straight into the path of danger once again.

However, by the time he’s brought to her colony following a hallucinatory poisoning episode, and after he is dealt a sobering wakeup call, Joel’s ready to put his newly-acquired abilities to good use. In yet another action-packed sequence, he bravely prevents a deadly catastrophe.

While only appearing in flashback scenes and in the final few acts, Aimee is essentially the catalyst for the events that unfold, making her a central character throughout. I was eager to meet her in the present day and was delighted to see how strong her own experience made her and how fiercely she cares for and protects her colony.

When Joel returns to his family, he’s a wiser, more capable man, one who now knows how to fight but also when to run away. In short, he’s grown up. No, Joel Dawson is not your average hero. I think he’s better.

The movie concludes with Joel delivering purpose and hope to the survivors. He speaks of a future for humankind, one that’s above the surface. The ending lays the foundation for a potential sequel and I won’t settle for anything less.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels

h/t Netflix Life