Colossal

About halfway into Colossal you may experience the novel vertigo that comes when you genuinely have no idea where a movie is taking you but understand you’re in competent creative hands. That sensation holds until you’re deposited, happy and a little worse for wear, at the end.

Monster movies aren’t generally known for their subtlety, but leave it to Nacho Vigalondo to make one that keeps surprising its audience until the very end.

Colossal has such an easygoing, offhand vibe, and takes such pleasure in its characters’ foibles, that it camouflages its deep subject, which is rage.

It doesn’t ascend to the sky. It’s not profound or great. But Vigalondo takes Colossal to all sorts of unexpected places and then brings it home, intact.

Neither Hathaway nor the script makes any overt bids for the audience’s sympathy in Colossal, which may explain why they earn it so handily.

That may enough to pique your curiosity. It did mine, for a while, until it didn’t. To paraphrase what Brahms once told a young composer, what’s original in the film isn’t very good, and what’s good in it isn’t very original.

To quote the late, great Dorothy Parker, “What fresh hell is this?” I’m talking about Colossal, a delirious, moronic mess that landed with a thud at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and now opens commercially, seven months later, with a head-scratching “Duh”.

Far better than any film with this ridiculous concept has any right to be. A tonally unique exploration of various dark concepts that uses its conceit to masterfully tightrope walk between all of them without losing a bit of levity and humanity.

Colossal is a unique and inventive film that blends sci-fi, drama, and dark comedy in a way that feels fresh but also somewhat uneven. The plot starts strong with an engaging setup, introducing its characters and premise smoothly. As the second act unfolds, the movie leans into a tone that sometimes feels more like a chaotic cartoon than a grounded narrative, making it a bit difficult to take seriously at times. The final act brings things back on track with a solid ending, though it feels like something is missing, a deeper exploration of its themes or a more refined execution could have elevated it further. The directing by Nacho Vigalondo is ambitious, and you can tell he had a clear vision for mixing genres and subverting expectations. Cinematography is decent, with some well-framed shots, though nothing particularly stunning. The real strength of the film lies in its acting, especially Anne Hathaway, who carries the movie effortlessly and brings depth to her character. The supporting cast does a good job, but some character arcs feel underdeveloped, especially in the second act when things start to get a little wacky. Script-wise, Colossal has an interesting concept, but the execution is where opinions will split. Some dialogue is sharp and engaging, while other moments feel underwritten or a bit too on-the-nose. The score and sound design are serviceable but not particularly memorable. It does its job without distracting, but it doesn't stand out either. Overall, the movie is worth watching for its originality and Hathaway's performance, but it leaves you wishing it had gone just a little further with its ideas.

I appreciate the concept, the innovation and the work of the actors involved. It definitely is not boring. It´s great that people try new ideas. And this one works. And it must be hard to make it work. So kudos to them. But i personally was not THAT engaged. I´m not easy to please with scores. i was at the verge of giving it a 7 but I cannot. But it is good.

One of the dumbest movies i have ever seen, but I got to look at Anne Hathaway the whole time.

So bad, we walked out halfway through. Boring, listless tale of the lives of bar patrons is not lifted by giant marionette connection. Waste of time and money.