Monsters on Netflix: we watched the first two episodes on the Lyle and Erik Menendez case and we came away stunned – News Series

What is it about?

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story tells the true story of two brothers convicted in 1996 of the murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez.

The prosecution said the two criminals were seeking to inherit the family fortune. The brothers said the act was the result of a lifetime of physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents. A motive they continue to argue today, as they serve life sentences without parole.

The series revisits the case that shook the world and paved the way for the modern phenomenon of fascination with true crime, while asking a crucial question: who are the real monsters?

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, a season created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan starring Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny, Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez

Who is it with?

After the huge success of Dahmer, carried by an incredible Evan Peters, Ryan Murphy and his team have once again taken care of their casting for Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendezor season 2 of the anthology series.

In the roles of José and Kitty Menendez, the parents murdered by their two sons, Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny bring all their ambiguity and even their monstrosity by composing a couple that seems ideal on the surface but completely unhealthy and dysfunctional within the family home.

This is a first on American television for the Spanish actor who has distinguished himself in both blockbusters (Dune, Skyfall) and arthouse films (No Country for Old Men, Vicky Cristina Barcelona). As for Chloë Sevigny, she is no stranger to Ryan Murphy’s “troop”. The actress who hypnotized our retinas in Kids, Boys Don’t Cry or Dogville has already appeared in two seasons of American Horror Story.

And we bet that it will be the glory day for Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch who play Lyle and Erik Menendez respectively. The two brothers, from a rich and powerful family, were mistreated by their parents. To the point that they decided to murder them. They compose a disturbing portrait of young men who are both unpleasant and lost.

Is it worth a look?

Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez marks a significant shift in tone from the first season of Ryan Murphy’s crime anthology, starring Dahmer. While Dahmer delved into psychological horror and visceral unease, this new season focuses more on the psychology of the Menendez brothers, taking a more narrative and less oppressive approach.

This change of register works well, because it allows us to delve deeper into the complex (and highly publicized in the United States) story of these two young men convicted of the murder of their parents.

In the first two episodes, all the attention is on Lyle and Erik Menendez, brilliantly played by two actors who instantly capture their duality and their ambiguous relationship. Their performance recalls, in many ways, characters from the Bret Easton Ellis universe, in particular Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, to whom they could be distant cousins. They share this same body cult, superficiality and something twisted that springs forth at the slightest pressure.

These young men appear, at first glance, to be educated and from high society, but the series quickly takes care of revealing the deep flaws that run through them. Their moral ambiguity is one of the strong points of these episodes, as well as that of their relationship, and the spectators are left in a state of constant questioning: are they victims or monsters?

One of the series’ bold choices is to relegate the parents to the background. While José Menendez, played by an impressive Javier Bardem, appears only briefly, his few scenes are enough to suggest all the violence and terror he inflicted and inspired in his sons. Bardem plays an authoritarian and terrifying patriarch, a far cry from the more nuanced roles he had accustomed us to. This oppressive figure, although in the background, weighs heavily on the events, giving each interaction between the brothers a sense of gravity and unease.

The first episode wastes no time in introducing the Menendez parents’ murder scene. Graphic and violent, this scene marks a turning point in the series. It clearly shows that Ryan Murphy has no intention of sugarcoating this tragedy, preferring to confront the audience with the brutality of the acts committed. This choice to show the murder from the beginning launches the dynamic of the series, which then focuses on the reconstruction of the events that led to this family drama.

Despite its rocky start, Monsters manages to maintain a delicate balance between suspense and psychological drama. The focus on the Menendez children, their complex relationship, and their reactions to their father’s tyranny and their mother’s inaction, provides a fascinating depth to the story. The bond between the two brothers is highlighted, hinting at a form of codependency, which reinforces the central question of the series: are they victims or remorseless criminals?

These first two episodes therefore lay the foundations of a thriller which immediately gets us hooked, and where the line between guilt and innocence is constantly blurred.