"Colossal" is Fun, Refreshing, and Original in the Wake of Blockbuster Tentpoles

 
   So on a whim I ventured out to watch a film that I had my eye on for a while. It wasn't playing at my local theater so I had to trek out to the only theater playing it within a 30 mile radius of where I live. I'm glad I did because it was definitely worth the drive. Writer/director Nacho Vigalondo, who has dabbled in TV and other smaller productions, gives us a humorous tale in what has been the first surprise of the year for me. Colossal is a movie that is weird, ambitious, flawed, but entertaining and refreshing. It's the most original film I've seen all year thus far. It's in no way a perfect film, reasons why I'll get to in a moment, but those flaws don't take away from the originality and entertainment value at all, at least for me. For these reasons, right off the top, I recommend checking it out.

   Colossal is the tale of a woman named Gloria (played really well by Anne Hathaway). Gloria is an out-of-work alcoholic who is forced to leave her life in New York when her boyfriend (Dan Stevens) kicks her out. With no money, no ambition, and the smallest semblance of self-worth, she moves back home into her parents' vacant rental. She soon becomes reacquainted with childhood friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis) who gives her a job at his bar. When reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, Gloria gradually comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to this phenomenon. It's a quirky movie that shifts in tone like a teeter-totter while exploring a premise that it really quite interesting and fun.

 
   This movie felt like it was trying to say something important, but doesn't quite get the message across. I blame the tonal shifts for this, About halfway through the film, once you have gotten a handle on what exactly this movie is going to be, it completely spins on its head and shifts into something much darker without much explanation. Overall that was the biggest issue I had with the movie. The acting is really well done. Anne Hathaway gives another really great performance, as well as Jason Sudeikis. Sudeikis' character is at the center of the tonal shift. One minute he's the nicest guy in the world, the next he's like a drunken serial killer. I'm always down with extreme character arcs, but you gotta give me something to hold on to. There really isn't a fleshed out reason as to why Oscar is the way he is. There are moments that I suppose are meant to be hints, but they aren't enough to justify his character. But, both performances were great. The writing is witty and the overall production is really good. All of the scenes with the monster were fun and engaging, while also terrifying.

   I don't really want to dive into the monster stuff because that whole portion of the movie is pretty important to the story and should be experienced spoiler-free. I will say though that I though it was clever, original, and a whole lot of fun. The twist at the end was nice, and there are choices made that I was surprised and glad they were made. All in all, Colossal was a breath of fresh air. I love original movies and the guts it takes to make them. Again, I recommend checking this movie out, whether it's playing near you or when it is available to stream. It's entertaining and will surely garnish lively discussion.