One of Pixar's best

Rating: 8/10 (11 December 2010)

It's hard to say that anything that comes out of the studios of Disney/Pixar is anything short of genius. In my opinion, the studio has been on a winning streak since their first feature film, Toy Story (1995). Every single one of their films is unforgettable, and Monsters, Inc. shines just as much if not more than some of its partners. Much like Toy Story expanded on the childhood fantasy of toys that talk while you're not looking, Monsters, Inc. expands on a darker fantasy, and that is the infamous fear of the monster in the closet. It's a notion that every child has had once at least once in their lifetime, making this film instantly relateable.
Monsters, Inc. is set in the city of Monstropolis, a thriving metropolis inhabited by monsters that come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. The city is powered by screams, and the scariest monsters are in charge of collecting these screams from children in the human world. The protagonists of the film are Sully, the top scarer in the business, and his friend/co-worker Mike Wazowski. The two are a powerhouse duo and Sully is revered for his ability to scare children so well. But problems arise when he accidentally brings a child back from the human world. The story unfolds into something amazingly exciting, clever, and also very heartwarming.
Disney/Pixar are renowned for their humorous and cleverly constructed worlds their films are set in, and each of their films always has a great opening sequence to introduce us to these worlds. Monsters, Inc. is one of the best of their openers I think I've ever seen. Every aspect of the city of Monstropolis is a hilarious and yet tasteful pun. There are so many witty things that you can get anything from a good chuckle to a hearty belly laugh out of. Every single aspect of this setting stays true to the theme of this film and there are so many little things to pick up on. You'll always be watching for the next clever joke to be placed in the most unlikely places. Every pun and every joke in this film is very funny, but not over exaggerated, and none of it is hammed up with goofy dialouge or cheesy music. Everything is done with a lot of respect and a lot of wit. It is just what humor needs to be. Sure the occasional fart joke or potty humor is alright, but it can ruin a film if it's too excessive. Thankfully, Monsters, Inc. always knows what levels to take itself to and it never goes overboard.
Even after a brilliant opening sequence the film continues to get better with its great story and vibrant cast of characters. Disney/Pixar always manages to pick up some of the most unique talents to do the voice work in their films and they always get the best vocal performances out of these talents. Billy Crystal and John Goodman work amazingly well as a comedic duo. They are perfectly and eccentrically characterized. Billy Crystal in all his nasally hilarity is the zany and bizarre little guy, while John Goodman is the slightly more intelligent straight man, who is much better at keeping his cool. The two characters work together incredibly well, and their routine never gets old. Then there are other amazing talents such as Steve Buscemi, who is perfectly cast as the villain of the film, Randall. He is an odd salamander like monster, so who better to cast that Buscemi, right? No offense of course, I love the guy and everything he does. Of course I was anxiously awaiting Sully to tell Randall that he was out of his element, but unfortunately that never happened. Other stars like James Coburn and Jennifer Tilly show up for some great roles, and of course John Ratzenberger shows up for a scene as the Abominable Snowman. For those who don't know, John Ratzenberger has appeared in every single Disney/Pixar film to date.
Disney/Pixar is so consistently great but Monsters, Inc. really stands out as one of their most clever and extraordinarily well made films. The world of Monstropolis is put together so well and it all operates perfectly, with so much attention to detail and an incredible amount of thought put into each and every aspect. The story is a lot of fun and can even bring a tear to the eye, especially when it is voiced by such a fantastic collaboration of actors. I will say that the ending is very kiddy and everything works out a little too perfect for all the characters, but hey, it is a kids film so could you expect anything less. Monsters, Inc. is a fantastic Disney/Pixar adventure.