THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER Is Unnerving, Bloody And Mesmerizing

Posted on June 5, 2023 by chrishammond54 in Film Reviews // 0 Comments

By Chris Hammond

AllBlk/Shudder/RLJE Films
Present
THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER is the first feature-length film from Bomani J. Story (writer/director). The film, which is heavily inspired by Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, follows the story of an intelligent teenager named Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes). Her world is full of violence, death, drugs and gangs. She lost her mother to a stray bullet as a young child, this is where her obsession with death began. Vicaria (which is a play on the name Victor) even believes death is a disease which can be cured. This obsession gains steam after she finds her older brother dead and vows to cure him by bringing him back to life.

Bomani J. Story creates a story here with many different avenues of entertainment. First, there is the family aspect. Vicaria is losing that family one by one. After her mother’s death, her dad Donald (Chad L. Coleman) falls into a depression and financial ruin. He is forced to work two jobs to make ends meet for both of his kids. When his son dies he turns to drugs to soothe his pain of loss.

There’s also the gritty black community backdrop of gang violence and poverty. Although this is the setting where the story takes place, the situations in this community don’t overshadow the main plot. This setting does however show that anywhere USA people are dealing with this and like Vicaria, are still attempting to live.

Finally, there is the story of death or “disease” and playing God. Vicaria wants her family to survive and be reborn again into a better life. Laya DeLeon Hayes who plays Vicaria is mesmerizing, the lengths she goes to reclaim her family are dark and deadly. Should we play God? or do we have the right? Well, the film explores what happens when we do.

Story uses a grainy cinematic lens to show his vision. There’s a nostalgic feel to most scenes almost as though the film is just someone’s blurry memories. The violence although shown in mostly quick cutaways really hits hard. The latter part of the movie doesn’t shy away from the destruction and horror that the “monster” causes.

THE ANGRY BLACK GIRL AND HER MONSTER is not for everyone. There are tones and mature themes that might sting, but this is exactly why people should see this film. There’s a great deal of reality in this film about a girl who tries to play God in a community of people who have very little faith in anything. This is one of the most ambitious “Frankenstein” inspired stories ever and worth every second of its runtime.