Love and Monsters (2020)

Love and Monsters is that rare post-apocalyptic adventure that remembers to be fun: a creature-feature romp with a big, beating heart and an underdog you can’t help rooting for. Dylan O’Brien brings disarming charm to Joel’s trek across a world teeming with wildly imaginative monsters, and the film balances brisk action with genuine laughs and surprising tenderness, helped along by a sweet, scene-stealing canine companion. Director Michael Matthews keeps the vibe light on its feet—more spirited quest than grim survival—while still letting the danger feel real and the emotions land. If you’re looking for a dystopia that isn’t drenched in misery, this is a crowd-pleaser; if giant-bug peril makes your skin crawl, consider yourself warned.

Love and Monsters is clearly aiming for a breezy, feel-good post-apocalypse road trip where a nervous everyman grows up fast, with monsters as the obstacle course and romance as the motivation. The problem is it often feels like a mash-up of better coming-of-age adventures, and the plot is pretty thin once you get past the fun premise, so if you’re craving originality or real emotional punch, you may find it lightweight. The jokey tone can also rub the wrong way when the movie wants you to take danger seriously, which makes some big moments land softer than they should. Still, Dylan O’Brien’s likability, a few genuinely creative creature beats, and the overall upbeat energy make it an easy watch if you want a crowd-pleasing adventure rather than a sharp, surprising sci-fi story.