THE Angry Black Girl and her Monster is a cross between Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Boyz n the Hood with a Candyman twist.
A film about coping with the loss of a loved one, set in a black community overrun with drug-dealing gangstas, the debut feature from director Bomani J Story has a compelling plot.
Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) is a plucky and brainy teenager. After the passing of her mother at a young age, and the brutal murder of her brother Chris (Edem Atsu-Swanzy), she becomes convinced that death is a disease that can be cured.
With Vicarias’ grief-stricken father lost to drugs to deal with his pain, the smart youngster embarks on a treacherous journey to bring her older sibling bak to life, and put her family and her shattered community back together again.
Clearly inspired by Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Angry Black Girl and her Monster is a strong debut with convincing characters and a gripping narrative on grief and dealing with the death of a loved one.
As a straight down the line horror film, there is plenty of spills and thrills to keep audiences entertained throughout. However, as a tale with a chest-beating social conscience, it tends to come apart at the seams.
It is more a direct descendent of Bernard Rose’s 1992 classic Candyman than it is any relation to Jordan Peele’s remake or his more weighty shockers dealing with the social issues of the day, such as Get Out or Us.
Bomani J Story, who wrote and directed the film, now on Shudder, has delivered a well-crafted slasher, filled with drama, gore, and plenty of spirt.
It is a film about family, rebirth, and community. It works on so many levels but is let down by a story that often feels underdeveloped and disjointed. In a nutshell, it tries to be all things to all people, and loses some of its focus.
Still, this is a decent watch with noble intentions, despite its foibles.
(3/5)
