Directed by: Patty Jenkins
Written by: Patty Jenkins
Produced by: Mark Damon, Donald Kushner, Clark Peterson, Charlize Theron and Brad Wyman
Starring: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen, Annie Corley, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Marco St. John
Buy it!, Buy it, rent it or skip it: Skip it

Possible spoliers ahead!

In a couple of years down the road, will Robert DeNiro win an Oscar for playing Osama bin Laden? Probably not, but with Charlize Theron's recent win for playing Aileen Wournos, it could happen. While she doesn't do a bad job,unfortunately, Patty Jenkins' direction and script make this a very bad experience. Aileen is a hooker whose looks have gone down for many years and she is starting to lose income. She then encounters Selby (Christina Ricci), a lesbian in a Christian family and they become friends. Selby runs away from home and joins Aileen as they travel across Florida. When Aileen kills someone, she decides to do that as a living due to the various more money that she will receive. However, when she ends up shooting a policeman, they are both on the lam from the law knowing the ultimate penalty is death.

I usually agree with what Roger Ebert has to say, but this has to be one of his biggest mistakes by naming Monster the best film of 2003. This is an incredibly badly done film that is just horrible to watch. Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci do really good jobs, but the supporting characters and (as mentioned before) the script really downgrade the film. Obviously, Jenkins' intention is for us to feel sorry of Wournos, but we feel that she deserves her just desserts. I think had the film concentrated more on Aileen and Selby's relationship it would have been so much better, but it doesn't. The blame of this horrible piece of the film all goes to Miss Jenkins. I understand that she is no Sofia Coppola, but come on.

There aren't that many extras on this DVD, but those that do appear are not that great. There is a suprisingly informative documentary about the making of the film, but it runs too short. I especially thought the part about Theron's makeup job was well-done. There is an interview with Jenkins and composer BT, which looks at the music in the film. It is rather interesting and fun to watch. Next are two trailers for Monster as well as the soundtrack spot and the sneak peeks area, we encounter previews for In the Cut, Monsieur Ibrahim and Trapped. The DVD also starts with trailers for Secret Window and Wild Things 2.

This is a horrible and unpleasant film, so it is not surprise that I will be suggest that you skip it. Believe me. It is one of the worst films of 2003.