Review of Monkeybone (2001) by Luke B — 13 Sep 2009

Monkeybone gets a lot of undeserved flack. It's by no means a great film but there's so much to like about it. Selick's imagination runs wild in the fantasy segments. He makes great use of stop-motion animation and some wonderful make-up and costumes.

Rose McGowan is a particular treat. It does seem like the budget may have forced more of it to be set in the real world than one would have liked, and there's definitely a sense that a LOT has been cut.

It always seems as though the film is darker than it's allowed to be, making it the repressed character that Fraser himself portrays. The sister disappears, McGowan is underused and certain plot points go unexplained.

There's a few brilliant twists and turns, but it's one of those films without a definite tone or audience, which can leave it flailing in the wind.