Would you like to know a secret about something that lives inside every house? What if I told you that in every home, no matter how many people live inside it, there is something else living inside too, something that nobody knows exists? No, I’m not talking about the odd mice or rats you may see wandering around your home. No! I’m talking about a monster! A monster that has been given many names, such as goblins, lars, and house elves. The truth is, they are invisible, and the true names for these monsters are “Finns”.
We learn that Finns keep things in order around the home. It is their job to watch over everyone and everything, including taking care of pets (even cruel ginger cats!). They help people do many things behind the scenes, such as finding lost objects and doing everything they can to keep the home safe and sweet. The goal of every Finn is to bring peace and harmony into the home as it is their way of life and tradition. No Finn has ever been derailed from its sole purpose until now.
A young girl named Christine is new in town along with her parents who work as actors. The family move into an old creepy home, and some people in the town say it’s haunted. The truth is, it’s not haunted at all. Instead, a Finn who prefers to live alone lives in the walls and enjoys doing various things to spook people away. But Christine is a lot smarter than most people her age and has a passion for detective novels (especially Sherlock Holmes). It’s not long until Christine makes a huge discovery about the Finn in her new home, and by a stroke of luck, she can now see him! Christine will learn more about this fascinating little monster, including its name, Finnick. As the two begin an unlikely new friendship, the pair will also find that someone (or something!) is causing havoc across the city, and the clues that Christine finds suggest it’s another Finn. Now Christine and Finnick must work together to solve the ultimate mystery and protect the innocent within the community.
Little Monsters is best described as an animation film aimed at families and a young audience. The animation is quite strong, especially the creative details and brightness, including the monsters. Granted, audiences of a young age may find some scenes somewhat frightening, especially when it comes to the many monster characters that appear throughout and the mysterious villain. The idea is that every house has a hidden Finn is instantly fun and exciting for a younger audience. Little Monsters is also highly clever with its pleasing sound effects at various moments. All in all, as in animation, there is plenty here to admire.
As Christine is introduced, we learn that she is extremely overconfident in herself as a character. One example is when she claims she knows the big reveal whenever she begins reading new mystery novels. She expresses no fear when strange things occur in her new home, claiming there must be a reason for all instances. For some audiences, Christine’s overconfidence can be eye-rolling to watch, but I did admire the character’s strength and lack of fear which sets a good encouragement for a younger crowd watching. As for Finnick, this character delivered exactly what I expected. Finnick has many random one-liners and is relatively clumsy throughout the entire duration. While I enjoyed the mystery regarding the villain, the big reveal and even the reasoning behind it all is quite disappointing. The film struggles to explain and justify this character’s motives without becoming just downright silly.
Overall, with impressive and likeable visuals relating to detail and colour, Little Monsters is a satisfying tale with a creative concept and story which delivers a simple and brainless time. While the plot is creative and pleasing, some characters here are slightly unlikeable, including the lead, who at key times comes across as either overconfident or carries a touch of arrogance. Sure, there’s also a fun mystery to be had here, but I can’t help thinking that the mystery reveals and even the reasoning behind it all is somewhat disappointing and weak. As an animation film, I’m generally half and half on this one as I can see some audiences truly admiring it, as it is a fun tale with a unique fairy-tale concept. Little Monsters does bring a nice touch of entertainment for a younger audience and a passable one for adults.
5.1/10
11th September 2022
Written by Peter Walkden
WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT
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