The Monster Project is a 2017 Found Footage horror film.
The film tells the story of a film crew making documentary interviewing three supposedly real monsters.
The Monster Project contains examples of:
- The Bad Guy Wins: Everything ultimately ends up going all according to the Devil's plans.
- Baphomet: The demon possessing Shiori claims that he is named Baphomet.
- Big Bad: Devon Adams is revealed to be the true mastermind behind all the horror.
- Black Dude Dies First: Lampshaded by Jamal. He is indeed, the first of the protagonists to die.
- Broken Pedestal: Bryan became this to Jamal following the former's lying about his recovery, resulting in their falling out, Jamal evicting him as his roommate for being a "parasite" that Devon described as and finally Bryan being fired from the production. When Bryan tries to save Jamal, the latter lampshades on this after Bryan says Jamal never gave up on him only for Jamal to replied he did, following by pushing him away as though he's saying he would rather die then getting saved by a relapsing lying junkie and the fact Jamal's a lost cause due to his grave wounds, but still trusted him to order him to get Murielle safe from harm.
- Decoy Protagonist: The protagonist of the film at first seems to be Devon, as he's the one who comes up with the idea to make the documentary, and the first twenty minutes or so focus on him. The true protagonist is actually Bryan, while Devon himself is actually the Big Bad.
- Demonic Possession: According to Shiori, she has been possessed by a demon ever since she was born.
- Downer Ending: All the protagonists are killed by the end of the film, and Satan ultimately succeeds in finishing the ritual to become God of Earth. And Bryan becomes a vampire.
- Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: Shiori, Martha, and Murielle after she becomes a vampire.
- Evil Old Folks: Richard, the old caretaker of the house, and his wife Martha are revealed to be Satanists at the end of the film.
- Faux Affably Evil: Shayla and Devon after The Reveal.
- Humanoid Abomination: Devon.
- Jerkass: Devon is short-tempered, manipulative, selfish, and inconsiderate of others, even going as far as to call Bryan, a recovering drug-addict, a "parasite", and states "once a junkie, always a junkie", which he turned out to be right following Bryan's lying about his recovery. And this is before he is revealed to be Satan.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: For all his unsavory traits as described in the just above bullet, Devon did seemed to care for his crew-mates when the monsters attack, until The Reveal however.
- A Lizard Named "Liz": The Devil calling himself Devon. Go figure. Doubles as an example of Louis Cypher.
- Louis Cypher: Devon, aka the Devil. Doubles as an example of A Lizard Named "Liz".
- Manipulative Bastard: Devon is revealed to have manipulated everyone to be part of his plan to bring about Hell on Earth, especially Bryan and Murielle.
- Mind over Matter: Both Shiori and Devon demonstrate this power.
- Mind Rape: The demon possessing Shiori goes into Bryan's head and shows him apparitions of people who overdosed on drugs that Bryan sold them to.
- Our Demons Are Different: They can possess humans at birth, and cause their bodies to undergo horrific transformations. Their presence causes camera distortion, and are vulnerable to holy water and can be killed by a crucifix.
- Our Vampires Are Different: For starters, sunlight doesn't kill them, but it is stated that their sense are heightened during the daytime, which bothers them. They drink blood more for the same reason humans enjoy drugs, alcohol, and sex, than they do for food. They are capable of flight and turn others through biting. The bite slowly kills the person that has been bitten, and they later come back as a vampire. They are killed by wooden stakes and become skeletons upon death.
- Recovered Addict: Bryan is a recovering drug-addict who has gone 240 days sober. Tragically subverted when it's revealed that Bryan has been lying about not taking any drugs.
- Sadist: Shayla grins in delight on hearing Bryan and Jamal having a falling out in the house's bathroom following the reveal of Bryan lying about his drug recovery.
- Satan: Devon is revealed to be the Devil himself in human disguise.
- The Vamp: Shayla is a literal example of this.
- Skin Walker: Though it's more like a traditional werewolf than an actual skin-walker.
- Slashed Throat: How Bryan is killed.
- Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Shiori is clearly miserable with the fact that she is a host for a demon.
