‘Little Monsters’ – Lupita Nyong’o uses cuteness to slay zombies (HF Review)

Oct 15
The HorrorFatale

Directed by: Abe Forsythe
Written by: Abe Forsythe
Runtime: 1h 33min
Rating: R
Our Rating: ★★★

Sometimes when the real world is falling apart, a little cutesy is the thing you don’t know you need. Enter Little Monster.

A washed-up musician teams up with a teacher and a kid’s show personality to protect young children from a sudden outbreak of zombies.

The film is written and directed by Abe Forsythe. An international co-production from Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, Little Monster stars Lupita Nyong’o, Alexander England, Kat Stewart, Diesel La Torraca and Josh Gad.

The film itself is in the vein of Shaun of the Dead and perhaps Dead Sno. Although, it doesn’t reach those levels this is definitely a good effort. Anytime you get a horde of zombies to join in a chorus of If You’re Happy and You Know It then your film has won at life. It’s also very impressive the film manages to have the huge bloody body count with 10 little kids running around. Little Monster has some genuine good zombie attacks. However, the violence and comedic action of the zombies proves to be no match for a ukulele playing kindergarten teacher (Nyong’o) in the pretty yellow dress. Also, a five-year-old in all his Vader dressed glory shows a serious amount of bravery.

Little Monsters – Dave (Alexander England), a washed-up musician, volunteers to chaperone his nephewÕs kindergarten field trip after taking a shine to the plucky schoolteacher, Miss Caroline (Lupita NyongÕo). DaveÕs intentions are complicated by the presence of world-famous child entertainer and competitor for Miss CarolineÕs affections, Teddy McGiggle (Josh Gad). One thing none of them bargained for, however, is a sudden zombie outbreak, from which Dave and Miss Caroline must protect the children. (Photo Courtesy of Neon/Hulu)

Nyong’o does a great job in this; might she have been a kindergarten teacher in a past life? Trust me, this is coming from a woman that once had to convince a four-year-old that hiding in the closet is fun because Category 5 tornados can’t see you in there, it’s hide and seek. Seriously, Google 2011 Super Outbreak.

In a little bit of different role, we find Josh Gad as a Mr. Rogers type character gone horribly wrong. I think he’s a little underused, you will feel mixed feelings over the well-being of his character. Unfamiliar with Alexander England’s previous work, he is the anti-hero in this who because it’s a black comedy horror gets the 360 treatment. You know how it works; he finds his way from slacker screw up to valiant in the end.

As stated, it’s a cutesy “horror” comedy, but it hits the spot. You can watch Little Monsters as it is digital streaming right now on Hulu.