“Disasters plague a nation that lacks leadership.”

Story: It’s 1527, and a deadly plague has been unleashed on the people of Korea. To add insult to injury, there’s talk of a monstrous beast haunting the woods outside Joseon (modern day Seoul). What’s causing th is horrible plague? Is this all myth, man, or actual monster? Why not all three?

Scares: Lots of darkness, hidden corners, and a huge, hideously mutated monster (poor sweet kitten never deserved this.)
Splat Factor: People get got. Lots of people.

Subgenre: Historical Horrors With Subtitles (suck it up, buttercup.)
Year Released: 2018
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original

Trick or Treat?: Miss Kingdom? Me too. So why not tune into another K-Horror about a deadly plague? Director Jong-ho Huh blends drama, horror, mythology and even humor to create one hell of a fun ride in this action-driven horror.

The plot focuses on what’s actually going on in the kingdom, as news is muddled from various superstitions, political intrigues, and plain-ol’ unwillingness to believe the severity of what’s happening. A talented cast shifts between these scenes beautifully, making tonal shifts flow naturally. The FX is done well, with the level of red slowly building ’til entire areas are soaked with the stuff. I especially loved a scene where a priestess and her entourage are slaughtered, with the camera cutting to blood spattering the offering area and flowing through the stream.

And the monster is a sweet little baby that never deserved this, and never did anything wrong in it’s whole entire life. Why yes, I have been watching K-pop Demon Hunters over and over again, and have fallen in love with Derpy Tiger. So this tiger-monster-thing? I can’t help myself. When the mystery of what happened and why is revealed, it’s heartbreaking. So, naturally, I felt sorry for the lamp. BTW, his name is Sparkles. HOW COULD I NOT LOVE HIMB. I also invested heavily in the lead characters. When things happen, I gave a damn. I gasped. I clutched my chest. I sighed with relief. The quartet of Hyeri Lee,Woo-sik Choi, Myung-Min Kim, and In-kwon Kim work well together, from delicately brutal fight choreography to silly banter between the characters.

Monstrum is an absolute feast for the eyes, from the thinning out cast to the sumptuous wide-shots of Korean forests to the gorgeous set design of palaces and temples. Think of this as a b-movie with the look and feel of a big-budget blockbuster. Fine, a bit of the CGI destruction is definitely PC gaming adjacent. But I’m not mad. This is a top-notch monster mash, and if things are a little unreal here and there, it makes the film that much more fun. The sheer number of characters introduced in the first half got my little pea-brain very confused as to who was on who’s side, and where folks were. But as we’ve got both plague and a mutant tiger-being here? Don’t worry, the cast thins out pretty quickly.

Things end on a happy note however, with the survivors off to new adventures. But, like me, they will never forget their time together, nor their time spent with Sparkles. Though maybe I have a more bittersweet memory. You might too. Unless you’re cold and dead inside. Which you are not, you magnificent legend.

Score: 4.5 out of 5 pumpkins.