Preview by Jon Donnis
Tom DeLonge, best known as a founding member of Blink-182, turns his long-held obsession with the paranormal into a full-blown sci-fi feature with Monsters of California. Arriving on UK digital platforms on 7 July 2025 via Plaion Pictures, this teenage adventure drama dives into government secrets, UFO lore and unexplained phenomena, all through the lens of one teenager's search for the truth.
Set in sunny Southern California, the story follows Dallas Edwards, played by Jack Samson, a teenager still reeling from the unexplained disappearance of his father. While his family has slowly begun to move forward, Dallas remains fixated on the idea that something larger is at play. Alongside his friends Riley (Jared Scott) and Toe (Jack Lancaster), he spends his days in abandoned buildings, chasing ghosts, and speculating about extraterrestrial life. When they stumble across classified documents connected to Dallas's father, a former fighter pilot, things quickly spiral beyond their control.
What begins as a curious search turns into a dangerous pursuit. With the help of Dr Walker, one of his father's former colleagues played by Richard Kind, Dallas tries to uncover the meaning behind the files. Meanwhile, his Uncle Myers, portrayed by Casper Van Dien, is part of the military force determined to keep those secrets hidden. As they dig deeper, the friends are pulled into a web of hidden truths and shadowy organisations, and the mission becomes more than just personal.
DeLonge's inspiration comes from the sci-fi classics of his youth. He has described the film as a mix of UFOs, skateboarders and Bigfoot, referencing the early Amblin films that sparked his imagination. That influence shapes the tone of the film, which balances its science fiction elements with humour, friendship and a sense of youthful defiance. Echoes of E.T. and The Goonies are present, but the story keeps its feet planted in a contemporary world where the line between conspiracy and reality feels increasingly thin.
The supporting cast includes Gabrielle Haugh and Arianne Zucker, both known for their work in Days of Our Lives, adding extra weight to the film's emotional core. The script moves between light-hearted moments and high-stakes revelations, keeping the tension grounded in the characters' relationships rather than special effects alone.
What gives Monsters of California its distinct flavour is not just the plot, but the way DeLonge blends real-world paranoia with the restless energy of teenagers who refuse to accept easy answers. Dallas and his friends are not heroes in the traditional sense. They are just kids asking the kind of questions that grown-ups have stopped trying to answer. That stubborn curiosity pushes the film forward and lends it a human edge, even as the story edges into the strange and unbelievable.
While the mystery around Dallas's father drives the plot, the heart of the film lies in the bond between the characters and the fear that sometimes the truth is not just out there, but much closer than anyone realised. It is a film about chasing something impossible and finding yourself somewhere unexpected. And for DeLonge, it is a project that connects the obsessions of his youth with a story that feels personal.
Monsters of California does not try to hide what it is. It is loud, curious, and unapologetically interested in the unexplained. For anyone drawn to stories of hidden files, secret bases and teenage rebellion, it offers a ride worth taking.
On UK digital platforms 7 July 2025
Apple TV - https://apple.co/44b1RIf
