PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The Dawn of Horror Noire
Horror noire is coming through in a big way! And what better way to contribute than with a Mary Shelly-inspired tale? The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster takes the core of Frankenstein, and weaves in relevant, poignant moments that are relatable to so many. The loss of a loved one is about as commonplace as it gets. And unfortunately, losing a loved one too soon or to violence is a sad reality for too many people. Especially with the gun violence in the United States.
The Tale of an Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
15-year-old Vicaria is a literal genius. Vicaria’s dad is hanging by a thread raising her and her older brother Chris after the death of her mother at a young age. That thread breaks when Chris dies in a gang-related shooting. Left to her own devices and working through grief, Vicaria is determined to “cure death”. After some planning and formulating, Vicaria comes up with a way to restore her brother’s life. Much like in Frankenstein, The Creature is out of her control and she loses far more than she ever anticipated she would.
The Juxtaposition of a Horrible Turn of Events with Visual Appeal
The film is gorgeous to look at. Fantastic color grading, and it has a vintage feel to it. I love a lot of what was done with framing and angles too. Sometimes you feel the transitions as the story shifts on just the visuals alone. So many unique and interesting shots that keep you pulled into their world the whole time.
Breaking It Down
One of the biggest themes that stood out to me was “family”. Not just the importance of it, but who all can be your family. These people were brought together by one act, and their bonds strengthened after losing their common tie. Standing together and trying to be there for each other, it’s always a beautiful thing to see.
When looking from the outside, at what the story of The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster could be, I had some reservations. Of course, people are free to portray stories however they’d like. Especially when telling stories with characters from within their communities. But it gets tiring watching the same tropes and “formulaic” writing in those portrayals. I love different, especially when we’re talking about endings and twists. Let me see things that have never been done, or are rarely done before.
How the tale concluded, was something that I enjoyed, because you can draw your own conclusion if it’s a “happy ending” or not. And I hear some of you… “Happy ending in a horror movie?! GTFO!” But hear me out… I can’t fully express in words how it is to be a horror fan and enjoy the frights, some of the heavy, and the artistry of gore and Special FX, that catharsis of processing real life through fiction. But then some cinematic experiences cross lines, personal lines, that feel too real. That leaves you having to process more on top of what you already felt going in.
So there are many ways to have a great or satisfactory ending. And of course, it’s all subjective. And of course, I’m not saying that every film that centers around Black, Latine, Indigenous, Queer, or Trans individuals HAS to have a more… positive ending? “Positive” doesn’t feel like the best word, but it’s what I’m going with.
But I mean, they’re going through an awful ordeal, usually one that they didn’t plan nor intend to put themselves in, and there’s no payoff for them in the end. Trust, that horror films don’t have to end on a soul-shattering note. Jordan Peele’s work is a great example of ending a horror film in such a way that you’re not ending with epic tragedy. Umma (2022) was also a movie that didn’t end on a tragic note, just, a balanced, neatly wrapped ending. As an aside, The Nanny (2022) is an example of a horror film that actually has a happy ending, but it doesn’t feel weird or wrong.
Not everyone gets this, and that’s okay. This is why I’m sharing these thoughts. For those who’d like to understand. Sometimes it’s nice to have a balanced end, or maybe even a little uplifting. But I digress. With this ending, it could be balanced… it could be horrifically wrong in the ultimate end… it’s basically whatever your imagination (or a possible sequel) would make of it.
Final Thoughts
All in all, you have a great story, fantastic characters and actor portrayal, and a gorgeous-looking film with some great moments in it. If you dig creature features and want something refreshing in a way that it’s not just a “modern re-telling” of Frankenstein, you will enjoy The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.
If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like “politics” or “messages” in your films, I implore you to give The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster a chance, because it is a great film. Yes, there are some specifically stated themes, every film and show you watch will have themes in them. And many of those themes are relative to certain societal groups or taken from headlines. I’m not one to enjoy films or shows that share those themes without nuance. So I understand how in some cases, people want to shy away. But if you’re looking for something different, you really can’t go wrong here.
The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster will be in Theaters on June 9, 2023, and on Demand and Digital on June 23, 2023. Also streaming on AllBlk & Shudder TBA.
