A Monster Calls: An unusual review

A Bayona’s visceral movie adaptation of a young adult book about a visiting monster is simplistic, yet stunning

When a monster calls, do you answer? A Monster Calls is a realistic fable rooted in fairy tales. Conor (“too old to be a kid, yet too young to be a man”) lives with his terminally ill mum, Lizzie. The father lives with his new family in America. Lizzie’s mother comes over to help. One night at exactly 12:07, the tree’s visits begin. He promises him three stories in return for the fourth, which is Conor’s truth.

A Monster Calls boasts elements of magic realism, thus drawing comparison with Pan’s Labyrinth

A Monster Calls, director JA Bayona’s (left) cinematic offering, stars Lewis MacDougall (right) in the lead role