The Monster lacks bite in the actual horror department, but like many other good horror films before it (Rosemary's Baby, The Shining), it plays with the anxiety of this very primal fear-the betrayal of the mother.

A fully realized depiction of elemental fear and desperation, The Monster's modest scale should attract discerning genre fans while establishing a firm basis for potential cult status.

A film like Bryan Bertino's The Monster, featuring a fantastic and fearless performance from Zoe Kazan, feels oddly timely.

Bertino ekes out the suspense meticulously - the constant thrumming of rainfall and a subtly insistent score adding to an already unsettling atmosphere.