Monstrous Disunion is a disturbingly self-aware horror film written by Jackson Batchelor and Sam Mason-Bell, and directed by Jackson Batchelor. It stars Martin W. Payne, Jessamie Waldon-Day, Janet Evans, Alexandra Robertshaw, Ryan Carter, Connor Mellish, Simon Berry, Jackson Batchelor, and Tom Lee Rutter. As Brexit hangs in the balance, a freak viral outbreak hits, and the community is quickly overrun with murderous mutant pig monsters.
This is a phenomenal debut feature from actor, writer, producer, and director Jackson Batchelor. It’s an incredibly unnerving political portrait of the current cultural landscape. Rarely does a film of this stature come along and leave a mark like this. It pokes fun at not only the pandemic but also the recent state of affairs in Europe, and worldwide. I found it impossible to pull away and was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
The cinematography was stunning and the score was absolutely menacing. The editing was great and the pace was perfect. There were a few gorgeous scenes and some seriously solid acting. Martin W. Payne’s performance was riveting, charismatic, and a tad psychotic. There’s a smoking scene that really captures the pending doom and growing intensity of it all. It’s such a beautiful slice of cinema.
The dialogue wasn’t the best and the special effects and makeup could have been better. In a few of the scenes, the pig men looked a little cheesy, and overall the runtime was shorter than one would have liked. It’s also a bit of slow burn, focusing more on building tension and dread throughout, rather than relying on blood and gore. However, it’s visually stunning with fantastic acting and a really solid script.
Monstrous Disunion is wildly entertaining. It’s Night of the Living Dead meets Tales From the Darkside. It’s creepy, deranged, and extremely unsettling. A truly terrifying thrill ride. If you’re looking for an awesome midnight mutant monster flick, look no further. Do yourself a favour and check this one out, it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
A disturbingly self-aware horror film
Movie title: Monstrous Disunion
Movie description: What remains when Brexit happens?
Date published: January 1, 2021
Country: UK
Duration: 1h 8min
Director(s): Jackson Batchelor
Actor(s): Jessamie Waldon-Day, Martin W. Payne, Janette Evans
Genre: Horror
Donovan Smith, aka Monster Dugan is a writer, author, producer and mixed martial artist, who currently resides in Chandler, Arizona. A born and raised child of horror, Donovan is a cinephile and bibliophile, with knowledge of all things John Carpenter. Donovan is a reviewer and interviewer known for his extensive coverage of independent media.
