At the end of every day, when the sun sets on the western horizon, it is the view that you have on yourself that truly matters the most. This, along with a handful of other ideal thoughts, is the central message of Dreamworks' new animated picture, Monsters vs. Aliens.
Starring the irresistibly cute Reese Witherspoon, along with a huge supporting cast of A-list talent, the film makes a bold statement straight out of the gate. And while much of the film proves worthy of the hype, parts of it continue to bother me now, long after leaving the theater.
For starters, the story offered few unique moments. Clad with stereotypical characters, the obvious self-discovery and a handful of convenient jokes, the story never reached the potential that it originally showcased. And that is without mentioning the unneeded, and at times overbearing gimmicks that often plague Saturday morning cartoons. The villain was a bit confusing, and one 'duplication' scene looked like a rip-off of Star Wars in more ways than one; ultimately creating a disjointed adventure for all.
But thankfully, those numerous let-downs somehow fail in their pursuit to ruin the film. Instead, each mishap is easily overlooked, much thanks to the intriguing visuals that fill the screen for the entire 94 minute runtime. The characters, full of color and life, create a spectacle on the screen. Additionally, the cleverly placed action sequences help to keep the film from dragging its feet, prompting interest and entertainment from all who watch on.
As you leave the theater, and attempt to make sense of what just happen on screen, you find yourself torn in terms of the film's true entertainment value. On one side of the spectrum, the film was fun and interesting; but on the other side, the story was very generic, representing something that you could easily see on a Saturday morning from the comfort of your own couch. But in the end, as it always does, the film wins out as you begin to realize that in terms of its core audience, the onscreen spectacles are a truly mesmerizing sight, and that in and of itself is worthy of a ticket purchase.
Monsters vs. Aliens is showing in 3-D at select theaters.
