There Are Monsters (2013) Spoiler-Free Summary – What It's About

A rag‑tag crew of graduate film students sets out on a road trip that was supposed to be a simple documentary project, but the isolation of rural Canada quickly turns the journey into something far more unsettling. Shot in a raw, handheld style, the picture feels like a collection of personal logs, giving the story an intimate, almost too‑real atmosphere. The open road and the quiet towns they pass through are rendered in muted tones, letting a slow‑building dread seep into every frame.

Stevie Slappyvan carries the camera, narrating the trip with a mix of curiosity and nervous humor, while Arm Eater exerts an uneasy presence that keeps the group on edge. Beth and Lynn provide the emotional core, grounding the expedition with a sense of ordinary life and friendship that feels increasingly fragile. Brief glimpses of Jeff add the impression of a larger, unseen community, and Bank Toddler lingers in the background as a subtle reminder that danger can hide where it’s least expected.

As they arrive in a small, tightly knit town, the locals’ stiff movements and blank expressions hint at something wrong beneath the surface. The crew’s curiosity gives way to a growing suspicion that the people they encounter may be imperfect copies of their former selves. This unsettling suspicion, combined with the film’s lo‑fi aesthetic, creates a claustrophobic mood where every whispered conversation and lingering glance feels charged with hidden intent. The story hovers on the brink of discovery, inviting viewers to share the protagonists’ anxiety while leaving the true nature of the threat tantalizingly out of reach.