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Monsters, Inc. 2001 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Peter Docter and David Silverman
G, 90 min. (nothing offensive) |
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Starring: Voices of: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi
Producer: Darla K. Anderson
Screenplay: Dan Gerson, Andrew Stanton
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Released: 11/2/01 (Wide) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
While traditional animated pictures' popularity may be waning (see Atlantis), computer animated films are just hitting their
stride. Evidenced by the remarkable Shrek and past winners Toy Story 2 and A Bug's Life, it seems that a new genre has
successfully penetrated the movie industry. Whether or not traditional animated pictures can counter this trend is not certain,
but as far as I'm concerned, it's a turn for the better. The latest entry into this new genre is Monsters, Inc., a touching story
of an alternate world of monsters that have many of the same emotions and fears as their human counterparts do. Combined
with a clever story, Monsters, Inc. provides plenty of laughs, visual treats, and geniune entertainment that's packed into a tight
90 minutes of fun that anyone could enjoy.
This hidden world is named Monstopolis, where Monsters, Inc. is located. This company is charged with providing power for the
entire city by extracting the frightened screams of children in our world. These screams somehow charge canisters of power that
are used for power. The monster workers enter our world through bedroom doors that lead to children's rooms, where they
put to use their scary skills. Unfortunately, children aren't as easily frightened as they used to be, so the city is facing a power
shortage dilemna. The monsters are grouped into teams where they are stationed at different doors. The most successful
of these teams is led by Sulley (John Goodman) and his partner Mike (Billy Crystal) - they lead a "scare leaderboard" that is
coveted among the other monsters. Sulley's main rival, Randall (Steve Buscemi), will do anything to become No.1, and begins
cheating at night to increase his scare totals. Inadvertently, Sulley finds a door in use one night, opens it, and lets a girl,
Boo (Mary Gibbs), into their secret world. Now the entire city is after Boo, who is hidden by Sulley and Mike, while they try
and uncover another plot to abusively use children to produce more energy than ever before.
The biggest strength of Monsters, Inc. is its ability to entertain both children and adults - there are parts mainly written for
children, but also clever moments that only adults will understand - a very effective combination. It's also very funny, with
quips from both Sulley and Mike that are enjoyed by any age group.
Although this film doesn't quite reach the level of Shrek in terms of computer animated detail, it's actually more eye-catching
for its imaginitive backdrops and design. Directors Peter Docter and David Silverman were after more of a feeling to the picture
rather than just impressive CGI work (see Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within), and it pays off handsomely, especially in the film's
closing moments.
Supporting characters in animated films are critical, and Monsters, Inc. has plenty to go around. James Coburn lends
his voice to Henry J. Waternoose, the sly owner of Monsters, Inc., who is trying to keep his company afloat. Jennifer Tilly
embues Celia, Mike's Medusa-like girlfriend, with a bright but caring role. Finally, Steve Buscemi is effective as
the film's antagonist, Randall.
The overall success on almost every level of Monsters, Inc. makes it one of the year's best films. But what makes it
special is its ability to connect with an audience - entertain them, and most importantly, make them feel good when walking out of the theater.
If there ever was a film worth every penny paid at the box office, this is it. It also proves once and for all that well-crafted animated
features such as this one are on par with the very best live action films out there. It may have taken a while for me to come
around to animated films, but there's no going back now. Monsters, Inc. is a winner - in a big way.
© 2001 Jonathan Cornwell
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| Masterpiece - Classic; Movie perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See; One of the year's best films |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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