Review: Monsters, Inc. (2001)

This is a Resurfaced review written in 2002 or earlier. For more information, please visit this link: Resurfaced Reviews.

Monsters, Inc.

Rating

Director

Pete Docter

Screenplay

Pete Docter, Jill Culton, Jeff Pidgeon, Ralph Eggleston, Andrew Stanton, Daniel Gerson

Length

1h 32m

Starring

John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Bob Peterson, John Ratzenberger, Frank Oz, Daniel Gerson

MPAA Rating

Review

Pixar Animation, a branch of Walt Disney Pictures, presents the latest in its impressive line of computer-animated films, including “A Bug’s Life” and “Toy Story 2.” “Monsters, Inc.” is a action-packed, humor-filled journey into the real life of the monsters that hide in your closet.

John Goodman voices Sully, a large, furry monster with green hair with purple splotches and horns, who works for a utility company. His partner is Mike (Billy Crystal), a one-eyed green ball with stick-like legs and arms, who makes sure Sully takes his hourly allotment of jobs. The utility company is different than what we know today. Its power source is the frightened screams of children that monsters scare in the night. Sully is the Top Scarer for the company while his nearest rival, Randall (Steve Buscemi), a purple, lizard-like monster with a large head.

Randall has been secretly working late at night trying to best Sully’s Top Scarer record and inadvertently lets a child in. Children are considered by all monster-kind very dangerous and can even kill them if touched. A child getting into their world is very dangerous and carries with it great penalties.

The story itself revolves around the child and her relationship with Sully and Mike in a realm far different from her own. As a child, however, she doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation and manages to cause plenty of mischief everywhere.

Goodman is the perfect choice to voice the brawny Sully. His silky masculinity is more than appropriate for his character’s style. Crystal is somewhat awkward, but fits Mike adequately. Buscemi continues his villainous trend, playing the competitive and deceitful Randall.

Director Pete Docter has plenty of experience with this genre, having directed all but one of Pixar’s previous feature film releases. While his “Toy Story” was a bit under directed, he learned his lesson with “Toy Story 2” and again here with “Monsters, Inc.” The film plays out admirably with plenty of thrills, chills, twists and turns to keep audiences of all ages entertained.

Pixar is easily one of the best animation houses out there, responsible also for the attached short film, “For the Birds.” Their incredible idea development and implementation talents are unparalleled, even with chief rival DreamWorks recent, and slightly better, success “Shrek.”

“Monsters, Inc.” is the kind of film that you can take your children to without fear that questionable material will surface in its length. Its redeeming ideals of laughter over terror and trusting ones own judgment are perfect lessons for children. The film both educates and entertains, an increasingly rare occurrence.