This week we look at the animated film Monsters vs. Aliens. A largely recognizable cast of voice talent performs in the film, led by Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, and Will Arnett. Rainne Wilson voices an alien set on taking over the Earth, when a group of monsters being held by the government are set loose on the aliens. Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon direct.
Ryan: Monsters vs. Aliens continues DreamWorks Animation streak of producing financially viable animated features. Barring the first Shrek movie and last year's Kung Fu Panda, DreamWorks animated movies are generally not on the same level, at least artistically speaking, as Pixar's films. But nonetheless DreamWorks movies continue to be moneymakers at the Box-Office and for the most part they are entertaining films. Monsters vs. Aliens isn't anything to brag about but it's a more than suitable animated feature that will surely entertain most kids and some adults as well.
Andy: Monsters vs. Aliens is definitely a second-tier animated feature. That is not to say that it is bad, but it does not have the edge that the best of the animated movies have. It introduces goofy characters that are entertaining to watch and puts them in obligatorily goofy situations. The problem seems to be that in spite of being entertaining, the movie doesn’t feel like it has anything to say.
Ryan: As the title suggests Monsters vs. Aliens is exactly what it is—a straight ahead action cartoon—geared towards kids-- involving monsters fighting off an alien invasion of Earth. The movie exists on one level as opposed to some other recent more well-rounded animated features (WALL-E—for example). Generally speaking there's nothing wrong with this approach when it's done in an entertaining and creative manner. More often than not Monsters vs. Aliens succeeds as an engaging and slightly imaginative animated spectacle.
Andy: I can appreciate the idea of a movie just being an animated spectacle, but the comparison to last year’s WALL-E is inevitable (even if it is an unfair). To its credit, Monsters vs. Aliens does not reach for anything grand, it only tries to be an entertaining flick. But the lack of substance makes the movie drag at times, especially in the middle section. The simple, straight-forward plot could have been more inventively designed, not only for the adults in the audience, but the children as well.
Ryan: One thing about Monsters vs. Aliens that I did admire was making a female character the lead. Ginormica, the 40-foot woman (voiced by Witherspoon) is for all intensive purposes the main character in the movie. The filmmakers along with Witherspoon's voicing work do an excellent job in creating a strong female character that girls (and boys) can look up to. It's just rare when a female character is the lead in an animated movie and more rare when it's done right.
Andy: The more I think about it, the more I have a bit of a problem with the female lead character. First of all, she’s drawn as a Barbie-doll, with completely unnaturally proportions (aside from the obvious 40-foot aspect), and stumbles through the first half of the film with a childish naiveté that would be completely frustrating in a live-action film. By the time she learns the obvious lessons about valuing herself, the film has already objectified her in a way that is hard to get around. The scene where she originally grows to forty feet, stretching her dress to the max, bursting out of her garter belt is particularly troubling.
All told, Monsters vs. Aliens is entertaining enough, but lacks the depth to be a truly great animated feature.
Final grade: B-.
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