A pretty incredible experience. It's puzzling and challenging in places but absolutely stunning to look at in others. A band of youths are seemingly militants at war and are only given instructions by their messenger who visits them every so often. The movie plays out in a fairy tale like way, without ever having a clear lead. There are hostage situations, violent deaths, jungle chases and mushroom trips. Jasper Wolf's cinematography is amongst the best this year no question. As is the nervy sounding score by Mica Levi. 'Monos' means monkeys in Spanish, and the group spend their time disaffected, being told what to do and generally leading a path to destruction.

References to Apocalypse Now and Lord of the Flies are inevitable, but it does feel as if the film is alluding towards a metaphor for the frailties of Colombia or other South American nations even though we're never even told where these events take place. The Director doesn't tell us whether these misfits kids are fighting for forces of good or evil, so perhaps that encapsulates the whole situation that youths find themselves in.

It's a brutal but beautiful look at youth in that part of the world. I hope lots of people see it.