Director David Henrie Talks Family Horror Movie 'Monster Summer'

It’s a precarious art making a horror movie for the whole family. More often than not, especially in the current cinematic climate, the horror genre has been relegated to and dubbed as adult-entry-only. Trailers are violent, music is screeching and loud and, for the most part, you’ll need to prove your age before buying a ticket.

But what happens when you cut the blood and gore and keep the aesthetics and, even still, some of the spooks? You may end up with something like ‘Monster Summer’, a “gateway” horror effort, as it was dubbed by director David Henrie in our interview.

Starring Mason Thames and Mel Gibson, the director-described family horror effort is suited for folks of various ages, meant to serve as an entryway into the genre for those less sure as well as an endearing choice for any given family movie night.

“I like gateway horror specifically because it’s aimed at a younger [demographic],” said Henrie. “I think it speaks to a deeper part of the human experience when you’re in that adolescent phase of life. I think gateway horror really is a wonderful genre.”

In Monster Summer, a group of kids, led by Mason Thames’ Noah, team up with a retired police detective to save their home island from the clutches of a mysterious, monstrous force. It’s a summer horror flick reminiscent of something that may have hit theaters in the early 2000’s, finding a way into the heart of your favorite Blockbuster - and then into your DVD player - shortly thereafter.

Where the film finds itself on unique ground is in that aforementioned genre that both broadens the appeal and ensures satisfaction for the horror-specific crowd that it will likely appeal to more than others.

“Scare, not scar,” Henrie remarked, in regard to the process of creating a kid-friendly horror movie. “That was a phrase that I had taped up on the wall for everyone to see… I’m not trying to hurt a kid for the rest of his life here, but some scares are fun as long as they’re earned and meaningful.”

“I try to see life innocently, through the eyes of a child,” Henrie continued, expounding on his process as someone who grew up on the oft-cited Goonies. “I want to believe the best in the world, and I want to believe in the goodness of people.”

Henrie originally found fame as an actor in the hit television series The Wizards of Waverly Place (the reboot of which he now directs and acts in simultaneously) before working his way to the director’s chair in recent years. Monster Summer marks his second foray into feature-length work in that position.

“I know how to work with kids, because I was a kid actor,” Henrie said of the transition between acting and directing, in this case specifically. “It’s as simple as, just, treat them like a kid. Talk to them like a kid, don’t talk to them like a little adult.”

Speaking to his own experience and preferences in the field, Henrie mused, “I love them both. Directing is so hard. I’d say I get more satisfaction out of directing… I probably get more joy out of acting, because it’s a quicker return on your investment,” he continued, tongue in cheek. “You see the immediate reaction of whoever you're acting with, or the audience.”

“I love them both, but I’m really satisfied with directing.”

Clearly, Henrie isn’t the only one happy with the finished product. Boasting a hot 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, Monster Summer has clearly landed well with the audience that the film was made for. Available to stream, rent or buy on services across the board, it’s a perfectly applicable family adventure regardless of one’s experience with the horror genre.

With likable leads in front of the camera and a likable director behind it, this one was bound to cross the finish line in meeting the exact goal it intended to hit; fun gateway horror for you and your loved ones. Halloween may have passed, but Monster Summer is a suitable watch all year round.