Monsters vs. Aliens
(2009)A rag tag group of monsters are recruited by the American government to protect Earth against alien invaders, in this DreamWorks animated family film. Featuring the voices of Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Reese Witherspoon, Keifer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson and Hugh Laurie.... More
Susan (Witherspoon) is about to get married when she gets hit by a meteorite, and turned into a massive giant of a woman. She is taken to a secret government centre where she meets the nation's other captured monsters: B.O.B. (a gelatinous blob voiced by Rogen), Dr. Cockroach phD (a scientist with the head of a cockroach, voiced by Laurie), The Missing Link (an ape-like swamp thing, voiced by Arnett) and skyscraper-sized mutant larvae Insectosaurus. Alien invader Gallaxhar (Wilson) arrives on Earth, wanting to get his mitts on that meteorite. After destroying San Fransisco to get it, the monsters are released to protect mankind. Mayhem ensues.Hide
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Directed by Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon
Starring Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Stephen Colbert
Written by Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky, Rob Letterman, Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Studio DreamWorks Animation
Flicks Review
BY Andrew Hedley Flicks Writer
Monsters vs. Aliens spins a modern twist on classic horror monsters like the 50-foot woman, the Fly, the Blob, Mothra, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It throws in a little sci-fi inspired by The Day the Earth Stood Still and Close Encounters of the Third Kind to create a high-concept mash-up so suited for mass entertainment that you’d wonder why nobody had thought of it before.
Turns out that someone had thought of it before. Well, kind of. And in borrowing so many elements from elsewhere, MvA never really flies on its own steam. The humour is sloppier than B.O.B.’s gelatinous body, and many of the jokes fall flatter than a pancake-shaped meteor. Likewise, the story is a bit thin. Susan’s self-empowerment trajectory is interesting, but her fellow monsters get short shrift – especially Dr. Cockroach, who barely registers.
What the film lacks in wit and characterisation, however, it makes up for with snazzy visuals. Incredibly detailed computer animation – the glistening skin on The Missing Link or the waves in the San Francisco harbour – looks damn cool in three dimensions, especially when used to create a sense of scale. The sub-orbital climactic battle is overblown – full of explosions and noisy chaos – but the ending promises a sequel. Let’s hope it’s funnier than this one.
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Monsters vs. Aliens
BY Bridget nobody
All my friends have seen it and they all adored it so did I!!!!
BY Raymond nobody
These kind of movies aren't meant to blow you away trying to get an award
its one of those movies that are fun to watch and is pretty funny
all in all, this movie has great visuals with funny scenes
BY User nobody
This is an awesome example of the comedies we need today.
Perfect for all ages ; guaranteed to make you smile.
Showing 4 of 4 reviews. See all reviews
The Press Reviews
72%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
3-D is a distraction and an annoyance. Full Review
The adult jokes and mandatory pop-culture references mean it will only sporadically hold the attention of the under-fives, who will struggle to keep the large 3D glasses on their faces anyway. For everyone else, it's a great way to blob out. Full Review
Yayyyy, monsters! Full Review
There is a nice mix of action with tender moments -- especially among the misfit monsters. Full Review
In fact "nice" is the adjective that seems to surface most in trying to pin down the film's most salient quality, which means that while the film is enjoyable enough, it is unlikely to become a classic for us, or a "Shrek" sort of franchise for DreamWorks. Full Review
The movie is curiously unmemorable, partly because nearly all of its humor depends on your having seen something like it before, even if you haven't. Full Review
Worth seeing purely for Seth Grogan perfectly cast as a brainless alien. Full Review
A snappy script and some neat 3D make for an above-average romp with plenty of in-jokes for cineastes and fan-boys alike. Full Review
I guess I was disappointed the story didn't entertain me as much as I'd hoped it might.My almost four-year-old niece Molly was pretty entertained though, and she thought the whole 3D thing was very cool. Full Review
A film of chuckles, smiles and light amusement rather than big laughs, galvanizing excitement and original invention. Full Review
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