Independent filmmaking is never an easy task. What’s even more challenging? Setting out to make a genre crowd-pleaser on a shoestring budget. With this in mind, Greek director Konstantino Koutsouliotas should be applauded for pulling off Minore, a cheap and cheerful monster movie that’s a truly fun ride.
Minore is an unapologetic B-movie, a creature feature with nostalgia for 1950s cult sci-fi and gooey splatter films from the ’80s. The set-up is nothing revolutionary: a quaint seaside community is terrorised by bizarre creatures of mysterious origin. It’s an affectionately Lovecraftian premise, and those who love cosmic horror will get a kick out of it. In many ways, this is a Mediterranean twist on Stephen King’s The Mist.
It takes a long time before the creatures start to attack, however, and those just wanting a quick bit of monster mayhem may find their patience tested. But Koutsouliotas and co-writer Elizabeth E. Schuch use the time to draw a rather endearing portrait of a small-town community and give some depth to the characters, from a provocative artist to a narcissistic bodybuilder.
Of course, the character local audiences would be most eager to see is William, played by our very own Davide Tucci, one of Malta’s brightest young actors. An English-speaking sailor on shore leave, William very much functions as the audience surrogate. Tucci does his best with the role, and certainly looks every bit the movie star, but as written, the character comes off a little flat in comparison to the more colourful supporting cast. Obviously, the writers felt they needed a ‘straight man’ in all the craziness, but they could have given their protagonist a bit more edge.
The lengthy build-up may raise expectations, but the eventual reveal of the creatures is something of a letdown. The CGI is very underwhelming, and by showcasing their monsters in broad daylight, the filmmakers reveal just how stretched their budget was.
Thankfully, the practical, gory effects make up for it, and this is where we feel the director is having the most fun. There is a joyous creativity in all the blood and guts that brings to mind the grisly, gooey works of a young Peter Jackson. The tongue-in-cheek script makes it clear: don’t take any of this too seriously.
It’s no masterpiece, but if you’re looking for a good laugh with a few gruesome shocks, Minore certainly fits the bill. Crack open a beer, sit back, and let the madness commence.
