Considering the budget (most of which was obviously spent on travel) and the fact that ALL the CGI was done on a couple of networked PCs using Adobe's Photoshop, Premiere and (I think) Aftereffects, this is one heck of a movie.
The "monsters" (which are just alien lifeforms which have adapted to life on Earth) are a cross between an octopus and a crab--only about 50 feet tall. They're somewhat secondary to the story which, as has been noted by many reviewers, is a cross between a road trip and a love story. The main protagonist, Kaulder (not Colbert), is a pretty dislikable guy; the girl is attractive, but at times you wonder if anyone's home.
Hint: to those who didn't "get it"--the beginning tells you what happened at the end. The rest of the movie is essentially a flashback. (Without that, the movie would have seemed entirely pointless.) The CGI, all shot without green screen, was created by the director/writer--and serves the story: most of it is not "in your face" as in most monster/alien movies--the bulk of the 280-plus CGI shots are shots of signs, broken machinery or architecture, or alien funguses on trees. The CGI is absolutely seamless, IMHO. There's only one non-monster shot (of a downed 'copter next to a highway) that didn't look absolutely real--and the monsters themselves are pretty darned good.
The acting (and only the principal two characters are actual actors, the rest are "locals" pressed into service) is pretty good too.
So if you read and watch SF (as opposed to "Sci-Fi") you will probably like this movie. The "Sci-Fi" buffs will find it too low key.
The "monsters" (which are just alien lifeforms which have adapted to life on Earth) are a cross between an octopus and a crab--only about 50 feet tall. They're somewhat secondary to the story which, as has been noted by many reviewers, is a cross between a road trip and a love story. The main protagonist, Kaulder (not Colbert), is a pretty dislikable guy; the girl is attractive, but at times you wonder if anyone's home.
Hint: to those who didn't "get it"--the beginning tells you what happened at the end. The rest of the movie is essentially a flashback. (Without that, the movie would have seemed entirely pointless.) The CGI, all shot without green screen, was created by the director/writer--and serves the story: most of it is not "in your face" as in most monster/alien movies--the bulk of the 280-plus CGI shots are shots of signs, broken machinery or architecture, or alien funguses on trees. The CGI is absolutely seamless, IMHO. There's only one non-monster shot (of a downed 'copter next to a highway) that didn't look absolutely real--and the monsters themselves are pretty darned good.
The acting (and only the principal two characters are actual actors, the rest are "locals" pressed into service) is pretty good too.
So if you read and watch SF (as opposed to "Sci-Fi") you will probably like this movie. The "Sci-Fi" buffs will find it too low key.