Pleasantly surprised

Rating: 7/10 (3 February 2011)

After reading the synopsis of Monsters vs Aliens, a few friends and I decided to watch it, assuming it would be one of those "it was so bad it was funny" types of movies. Regarding the plot, we were not entirely wrong. However, the movie had good special effects (even though I did not have the chance to watch it in 3d), entertainment value, and a women's empowerment vibe, which certainly is a positive message to send to any young girls watching the film.
The main character is about to marry a career-obsessed TV weatherman when she encounters a radioactive material that causes her to grow to an enormous size. The man spurns her, and the movie pretty much evolves into a self-discovery process, at the end of which the protagonist recognizes her self-worth and abandons the egotistical fiancé. Along the way, the main character joins up with monsters to fight an evil-mastermind alien who is trying to retrieve the radioactive material. The creatures, though, are the typical cute and lovable characters to be expected from DreamWorks. One of which, Insectosaurus, was probably one of the funniest animated characters I have ever seen. I legitimately laughed every time it came on the screen.
While I walked away thinking the movie was fairly cheesy and predictable, I was also entertained the whole way through. If you are looking for intellectual stimulation or an in-depth plot, this is probably a good one to skip. However, if you are craving a simple feel-good movie, young kids will probably love it, and while it probably won't be your favorite movie, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.