Since we were little, some of us have had the fantasy of becoming superheroes with ridiculous superpowers that allow us to save humanity or that allow us to take advantage of life for those of us who are selfish on some occasions. In Monster Force Zero this dream unexpectedly comes true for three friends.

A.I (Adam Singer), Kadabra (Dalena Nguyen) and Ammorama (Aeon Cruz) have been travelling for three months promoting the first issue of their comic. While promoting at the exhibit floor of a comic convention, they are approached by a group of cosplayers in their thirties calling themselves the Destroyers of Destruction (a team that keeps their bullying standards while trying to be relevant) challenge them to a strange competition happening during the after party of the convention. Once they arrive to the site, they catch a weird vibe from the hosts and realize that it will be a contest out of this world. Can a group of misfits that are barely noticed in their own community position themselves in a competition where the prize is to become the new heroes of intergalactic beings?

I’m an enthusiast for the odd and uncanny, so I can’t give enough credit to the creators of this quirky piece for the 80 minutes of fun that kept me tuned in. I even laughed at times, and not just because it had dinosaurs that shoot lasers, but because it actually has a funny script. It doesn’t have a strong start as most of the effects look glitchy, the acting feels forced and the sound seems overlapped but as the story moves forward, things get better in every aspect: acting goes from something unusual to somehow likeable, the visual effects take a 180-degree twist for better, and the audio is synced to the talent’s lips movement.  It may be that its excellent execution comes from not taking things seriously. It has certain features that denote creative prodigality during the development of the project— you can appreciate the effort done by the production to achieve so much with so little; from the costumes used to the alien technology props.

One of its best elements is the 80’s style soundtrack, which can be described as an electronic psychedelic vibe that can be appreciated from the first seconds to the end credits, and with it they visually developed one of the most bizarre transitions that include dancing furries in neon lights. Even though it’s obvious that most of the transitions were made to meet with a time frame, it is an excellent addition to tying the viewer to their seat and keeping their eyes glued to the screen.

Monster Force Zero is “sci-fun” packed with action and a powerful 80’s style soundtrack. It is a project in which it is worth investing your time to appreciate what they have made of a story that maintains little coherence without taking things so seriously. I hope they fulfill their final act promise and continue with a well-deserved sequel that finally allows us to know the backstories of our new superheroes.

9 OUT OF 10 REPTILES