It’s hard to love a movie that as filled with so many over stuffed clichés as MONSTERS VS. ALIENS but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t at least a fun and entertaining film. It was a novel idea to do a animated monster film as it hasn’t been done since Monsters, Inc. so audiences aren’t tired of them just yet. With over five writers to its credit the film comes off as being too over written and formulaic as we follow Susan Murphy (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) who is turned into a 49’ 11” tall women by a unknown meteor. She is then captured by the government and hidden away in a secret government facility run by General Monger (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland), whom has captured several monsters over the years and hidden them away from the public eye. These monsters include B.O.B. (Seth Rogen), an artificially created lifeform with no brain, Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie), a former scientist who accidentally turned himself into a cockroach during an experiment, and The Missing Link (Will Arnett), who was thawed out of a piece of ice and has wrecked havoc ever since. If you don’t already see all the references to ‘50s B-movies yet then shame on you as the film is filled with ‘50s references as well as references to all manner of sci-fi and pop-culture films from Close Encounters of the Third Kind to Beverly Hills Cop to Godzilla and Attack of the 50 Foot Woman.
Most of the references will be lost on younger audiences but people with a great appreciation of films will recognize most if not all of the references, which is the film’s biggest problem. It has so many references to other films that it never seems to have a mind of its own and everything from plot to character to story seems like something lifted from something else. Having seen the film on an IMAX screen in 3D I was able to forgive many of the films’ problems as I thoroughly enjoy watching films in digital 3D in the IMAX format. Somehow it makes many films better then they should be (i.e. when I saw The Day The Earth Stood Still on an IMAX screen). I’m sure that when and if I see the film again I won’t have the same experience.
Children will enjoy the film (especially those that loved Monsters, Inc.) but after the novelty of the 3D wears off and you’ve had enough of memory lane with the film references most older audiences may not enjoy the film as much as they wanted to. I will say that the antics of B.O.B. and The President (as voiced by Stephen Colbert) are some of the best in the film and recommended for this alone.
Most of the references will be lost on younger audiences but people with a great appreciation of films will recognize most if not all of the references, which is the film’s biggest problem. It has so many references to other films that it never seems to have a mind of its own and everything from plot to character to story seems like something lifted from something else. Having seen the film on an IMAX screen in 3D I was able to forgive many of the films’ problems as I thoroughly enjoy watching films in digital 3D in the IMAX format. Somehow it makes many films better then they should be (i.e. when I saw The Day The Earth Stood Still on an IMAX screen). I’m sure that when and if I see the film again I won’t have the same experience.
Children will enjoy the film (especially those that loved Monsters, Inc.) but after the novelty of the 3D wears off and you’ve had enough of memory lane with the film references most older audiences may not enjoy the film as much as they wanted to. I will say that the antics of B.O.B. and The President (as voiced by Stephen Colbert) are some of the best in the film and recommended for this alone.
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