"Wolfman's got nards" is etched into my mind. I can't escape it. I never, before or after Monster Squad's original release, used the term nards. Just goes to show no matter how stupid something may sound, there's a group of young, impressionable kids who love it.
Monster Squad follows a group of middle schoolers infatuated with monsters who must fight off Dracula and his monster minions on the 100 year anniversary of good vs. evil. There's a back story about an amulet that, when activity on the 100 year anniversary, can open a portal to expel Dracula, Mummy, Frankenstein, from Earth. Alternately, at this time the amulet is weak and destroyable, so Dracula could destroy the amulet and rule the world. It's a little wacky sounding, but pretty straightforward. Kill the monsters. Except Frankenstein, who the youngest girl befriends.
Not a great movie, but moderately entertaining. The dialog is solid, not bogged down with any monologues or random exposition. One major negative is heavy use of terms similar to "nards."
The movie contains numerous tricks and diversions aimed for the younger audience. The kids have one of the sweetest tree houses ever filmed. As a kid, who wouldn't love sitting on the roof of a house to watch the local drive-in movie, as Sean does with his father. New terms, wacky monsters, sweet tree houses, what kid wouldn't love it?
There are also random, inexplicable scenes: Mummy in the closet; Dracula dynamiting the treehouse; Dracula dynamiting the police guy; Sean's parent's marital problems. These scenes go nowhere and don't apply to the plot in any positive way.
Oddly, there is not a single recognizable child actor in the movie, except Kevin Arnold's brother. Did find out the youngest boy in the Monster Squad is David Faustino's brother. The adults are a different matter all together. THE John Gries is the human form of the Wolfman. Sean's father, and his father's partner, are "that guy"s with tons of credits on imdb.com. Sean's mom, one of those 80s moms, also played the mom in Goonies. Frankenstein is played by the drug dealer from Robocop 2, among other roles. And I swear, while not on imdb.com, Laurie Metcalf is the cat-looking teacher.
Finally, some random thoughts:
-Jonas Brothers stole their style from Rudy.
-Obligatory 80s music montage, check.
-What high school didn't have smelting tools, complete with a bullet molding?
-Never understood the virgin thing in monster movies. Really just an 80s thing. And a fairly stupid one. Every kid in the movie is technically a virgin, which they figure out by the end of the movie.
-Very solid effects and makeup. Particularly impressed with Gillman.
-The worst theme song I've ever heard in a major studio movie. Porn productions have better music than this. Truly awful. Luckily it only plays on the end credits.
Review: 2+2+2+2+2 = 10