“This one of my favorite motherfucking dresses,” she screams while wielding a gun and a knife. Films such as this which balance horror, thriller, and a dose of comedy usually hold a special place in my heart. This film generally is no different but the avenues they could have taken versus the ones they did sadly disappointment me. However, the bright spot is Monique is made for this genre and we have truly been missing out on a human villain story set in modern day America. As she poignantly states, “Emma was not going back to the f#cking hood… Cause who wants to be a single mother.”
The loud whispering, the heavy breathing despite not running anywhere, and the need to hug at the wrong time – all actions displayed by black people in this horror film. Who does that? Seriously, I’m expected to believe these are real responses to the impending threat posed by this story? I don’t’ think so. The conflicting levels of composure and helplessness flip so frequently it’s hard to sense if the victims want to be caught or if they forgot they were being tracked down. It’s wild how much noise was made when people were supposed to be hiding and quiet.
Monique stars as Emma Leeden in this horror film which details the loss of her family in her new book “Invasion.” To generate press, she agrees to a staged reading by Sky Brown (Chasity Sereal) in her fortified home. But Sky’s spiritual connection is real, and evil emerges in a house they can’t get out of. Her performance echoes the seriousness of her role in Precious as Mary. If she’s being funny, it’s not to make you laugh, but to highlight the crazed thoughts in her head. Her perception of reality is skewed, and she wants you to see things her way.
With themes of motherhood, keeping promises, and her world being taken away from her, Emma lashes out on those who know her secret and how she got away with it. Although, she’d probably say you’re focused on the how and not the why. Meanwhile, Sky claims earlier in the film that this reading feels different. She sees and feels things and shares pieces while she tries to figure it out. Her assumptions are put to the test and her friends/coworkers who come with her to do the reading are all put in jeopardy.
While the temperament and cinematography echo this is a made for TV movie, you can see the attempt to forge a specific lane in black horror. The character portrayals had remnants of blackness or “black sense” but some of their actions were rooted in white horror, like walking towards the danger and talking entirely too much. In black horror, something’s are just understood. Still, it’s nice to see Monique on the screen again, and especially in a departure from intentional comedy in this very dark and twisted way. If nothing else, you will leave this with some quotes worthy of weaving into your day-to-day conversations.
