See it in 3D!

Rating: 7/10 (28 March 2009)

Ifhere's one thing that's undeniable when it comes to DreamWorks Animation it's that its increasing in quality with every movie it makes, sure last month's Madagascar 2 wasn't quite up to snuff, but compare it to the original it may as well be Shakespeare. Kung Fu Panda couldn't hold a candle to last year's Wall-e but if you remember that this is the same studio that gave up Sharks Tale, the Panda doesn't look too shabby. So by making a film that riffs of everything I every loved about the 50's surely Monsters Vs Aliens should top them all, not quite. There are two ways to see monsters Vs Aliens, in 2D and in 3D. Which are so crucial they may as well be night and day. See it in 2D and it's a fun, forgettable animated movie that, while head and shoulders above Sharks Tale or Shrek the Third, its far from Pixar perfect. If you're lucky enough to see it in 3D, it might be one of the most entertaining experiences you'll have in the cinema all year. Calling the 3D visuals astounding is a huge understatement. Last month's Bolt looks petty in comparison, its stunning to watch and you'll get your money's worth even if it means paying full price and a little extra for the glasses.
I'm afraid I might have to eat my worlds from an earlier post I did, while commenting on the new "Up" trailer. I might have mentioned my lack of enthusiasm for DreamWorks latest offering. Calling the trailer for it, dull uninteresting and unfunny. Two of which I'll be happy to retract. It certainly isn't dull. There isn't a second during the movie I slouched over in my seat. Your entertained 100% of the time, what doesn't quite work is the jokes. The movie feels split between two major audiences. There were jokes referencing moments from movies that kids below the age of 15 are likely not to have seen (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Mothra) with this looming to movie feels like its geared towards the audiences of film lovers who still revel in the wonders of 50's B-movies, however only seconds later were forced to sit through childish bodily functioned joke followed by a innocent giggle coming from the front row. In this sense then it pleases both audiences and deludes them at the same time, adults wont appreciate the childish fart jokes while the 50's references will escapee minors.
When California girl Susan Murphy is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall. The military jumps into action and Susan is captured and secreted away to a covert government compound. There, she is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of Monsters: the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus. Their confinement is cut short, however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country. In a moment of desperation, the President is persuaded to enlist the motley crew of Monsters to combat the Alien Robot and save the world from imminent destruction.
What's amiss is cleaver development, the films moves so fast and where rarely allowed to catch our breath to such an extent that some of the characters feel left out and excluded from what's going on. It's reassuring however that DreamWorks have made a film that both appeals to the avid movie lover in me as well as the young child. It works to an enormous extent and is a rarity that I can recommend both you and your child to go see this. You'll probably take your kids to see Monsters vs. Aliens, but you might have more fun seeing the movie without them.
Verdict: Its rare i ever come across a split verdict for a movie, I'm usually set on how I feel. With this I was debating it and debating it and could come to only one conclusion.With a witty script and a collection of adorable characters, Monsters doesn't have a lot of emotional depth, but it's a well-designed crowd-pleaser. You can't go wrong if you're willing to fork out an extra couple of pounds for the 3D experience. For my overall rating I give Monsters Vs. Aliens 3D 4/5 while the 2D experience gets an enthusiastic 3/5.