Colossal
2017 · Directed by Nacho Vigalondo
Original language: English
- drama
- fantasy
- science fiction
The story
A woman discovers that severe catastrophic events are somehow connected to the mental breakdown from which she's suffering.
What it’s like
Bright, ordinary daylight in a small-town American street gives way to grimy, sticky bar interiors lit by warm amber and cold neon, with the camera mostly holding steady on faces and rooms rather than spectacle. The creature work is deliberately low-key: when a giant shape stomps through a city far away it arrives as a flicker on a TV screen or a tremor felt through a kitchen floor, and the sound design leans on dull thuds, distant sirens and a sparse, wry score rather than swelling orchestration. Its vibe is sardonic and unsettled, a blend of brittle comedy and quiet dread, best suited to a late night alone, a wary rewatch, or a long flight where you want something strange but not overwhelming. The pacing wanders at the start, then tightens as the central absurdity sharpens. Its people are damaged and self-absorbed, and the arc follows a woman forced to confront the worst habits she has been hiding behind. Intensity is moderate: some drinking, cruel words and a few sharp, sudden moments of violence, with brief bloody impact and no gore for its own sake. It is for viewers who enjoy offbeat, character-driven genre pieces with a sense of humour that stings.
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