What happens when a kindergarten field trip to the zoo just happens to be the site of a zombie outbreak? The brilliance in Litte Monsters is that the answer is more than one could ever guess. Abe Forsythe’s Little Monsters is without a doubt the most raunchy comedy to premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The Australian director/writer’s mad mind somehow found a great blend of vulgarity, humor, and pure delight.

The narrative is based on Forsythe’s personal experiences with his child and the great appreciation he has grown for educators (in this case kindergarten teachers). The story follows Dave (Alexander England) who is down on his luck as a failed musician who cannot hold a relationship due to his disdain for children. He volunteers to chaperone his nephew’s kindergarten class on a field trip to the zoo, only to try to impress the beautiful teacher, Miss Caroline (Lupita Nyong’o). She is a top-notch educator who puts her students above all else.

These two clashing personalities make for a great combination to set against a zombie breakout. Little Monsters works to great degrees because zombies are merely a backdrop to an honest character study. This is not to say that the creativity brought to imagining a zombie breakout at a zoo is not absolutely fantastic. Fans of the horror subgenre will be attracted to this very delightful fresh take.

When the zombie action takes off, it will be hard to not cheer for the lovable cast. Nyong’o shines in the leading role that is unlike anything fans have ever seen her in. Nyong’o and England are supported by a great ensemble, which primarily consists of kids. Many of the children in the film steal scenes as their innocence clashes with the very dark and vulgar humor. One will have trouble trying not to laugh out loud at some of the film’s most unforgettable pure moments. When the laughs get going, they do not stop escalating. Josh Gad (Frozen) also almost steals the film in one of the most bizarre and outright mad roles of his entire career.

Hilarious, dark and pure, Little Monsters has the makings of a great modern cult classic. The style is very defined for a specific audience, and it exceeds expectations. Nyong’o plays the ukulele and sings Taylor Swift to children while also decapitating zombies in the same film. What else could someone ever ask for?

Published by Andrew J. Salazar

California State University Los Angeles graduate and entertainment journalist living in the heart of the film industry. Lives for the lore. View all posts by Andrew J. Salazar