“Monos” came out of nowhere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, debuting in the, usually ignored, World Cinema competition. And yet, this surreal dive into the mountains of a war-torn Columbia is the work of a new talent filled with potential, even when he sometimes swings and misses with his mad ambitions. “Monos” has a coalition of eight child soldiers having to take care of an American hostage and a sacred cow, all atop a mountainous peak. However, as with all stories of a small group of people stationed in a claustrophobic setting, power struggles do occur. The setting is stunning, stretching literally above the clouds, making this a film that benefits from such a dreamy set of locations. There also is no main character, all eight soldiers share the same amount of screen time. It’s all beautifully rendered by director Alejandro Lendes who uses the landscapes at his disposal, with (mostly) non-professional actors, to give us a sort of Jodorowsky-esque take on “Lord of the Flies.” It does, somewhat, add-up. Lendes’ mad ambitions, and his strategy to mix the real and the surreal into the poverty-stricken and corrupt nature of his native country, turn out to be fairly potent mixes, but this is clearly the work of a talent that hasn’t hit his stride yet.
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