The only reason Bryan Bertino’s third film is important is because his first, The Strangers, was the best horror film released since 2000. His new movie’s story would have been the best episode of Showtime’s short-lived “Masters of Horror.” As a feature, it suffers from narrative that cannot quite stretch to 60 minutes. When a mom (Zoe Kazan) and daughter (Ella Ballentine) break down in the middle of nowhere, they encounter a dangerous creature. The creature design apes Giger but stands on its own, and Kazan/Ballentine are legit. The Monster does not legitimize Bertino as a post-Strangers talent, but it’s a better VOD release than the bulk of its peers.
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