It’s a delight to come across horror films by marginalized creatives that are ambitious. Supporting existing horror properties isn’t a negative. Most horror fans do it, but where would we be without new ideas or expanding upon old ones? Jordan Peele isn’t the only Black screenwriter/director doing cool things in the industry, and everyone should be expanding their viewing experience by supporting other Black creatives.
Bomani J. Story’s directorial debut, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (2023), is a modern take on Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The idea of defying the concept and reality of death isn’t remotely new, but it’s seldom told through a Black perspective, let alone a Black girl’s perspective. The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster is fresh in the case of who is telling the story and the subject matter that’s broached as a result.
The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster follows Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes), a Black teenager who believes that death is a disease the can be cured. Using her knowledge of science, she does the unthinkable by bringing Chris (Edem Atsu-Swanzy), her deceased brother, back to life. But the consequences of her actions become incredibly dire for those around her. Vicaria is then forced to confront her ideas about death and monsters.
Vicaria as a character is complex to root for because she manages to achieve the impossible. Yet, it’s for reasons that are purely selfish. Allowing for Black characters to be complex like this is never not going to be important, but Vicaria’s lack of thinking ahead is incredibly frustrating to watch. She never considers what Chris may feel about his own appearance. Chris’s appearance after his resurrection is depicted as monstrous, and it’s not solely because of his Blackness like it was before. It serves as an example of how the world views him. Black folks who are dark skinned in particular experience another layer of that in real life.
There are great effects throughout and moments of gore that will stick with you in The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster. However, there are sections that drag on, and there needed to be less drama and more focus on Chris and maintaining an ominous tone. Some of the side characters are interesting, but the lack of focus on characters like Vicaria’s father (Chad L. Coleman) does the movie a disservice. Coleman has tremendous presence, and despite the film’s title, I personally think he should’ve had more screen time.
The messaging doesn’t bring anything new to the table in terms of Black horror, and that’s alright, because it’s not always about changing the game. Adding to the Black horror catalogue is enough in this case, and that’s where The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster gets it right. The depiction of a small Black community is also accurate, and the characters feel like real people. It doesn’t matter if they are “likable” or not. Do all the performances shake the table, so to speak? Not really, but I’d say that Laya DeLeon Hayes, Chad L. Coleman, Denzel Whitaker, and Edem Atsu-Swanzy deliver the best performances.
If you’re looking for new Black-centered horror that takes on old material, The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster may be satisfying. You can see the film in theaters on June 9 and rent it on June 23. Keep an eye out for it on Shudder and ALLBLK eventually.
(featured image: RLJE Films)
