Monsters vs Aliens (2009)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Directors:

Rob Letterman
Conrad Vernon

Writers:

Maya Forbes (screenplay) &
Wallace Wolodarsky (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

27 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Oooze gonna save us?

Plot:

When a meteorite from outer space hits a young woman and turns her into a giant monster, she is taken to a secret government compound where she meets a ragtag group of monsters also rounded up over the years.

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Giant | California | Save The World | Destruction

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Reese Witherspoon	...	Susan Murphy / Ginormica (voice)
Seth Rogen	...	B.O.B. (voice)
Hugh Laurie	...	Dr. Cockroach Ph.D. (voice)
Will Arnett	...	The Missing Link (voice)
Kiefer Sutherland	...	General W.R. Monger (voice)
Rainn Wilson	...	Gallaxhar (voice)
Stephen Colbert	...	President Hathaway (voice)
Paul Rudd	...	Derek Dietl (voice)
Julie White	...	Wendy Murphy (voice)
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Carl Murphy (voice)
Amy Poehler	...	Computer (voice)
Ed Helms	...	News Reporter (voice)
Renée Zellweger	...	Katie (voice)
John Krasinski	...	Cuthbert (voice)
Sean Bishop	...	Private Bullhorn / Helicopter Pilot / Advisor Ortega (voice)

Also Known As:

Monsters vs Aliens: A Monstrous IMAX 3D Experience (USA) (IMAX version)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sci-fi action, some crude humor and mild language.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.44 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Czech Republic:U | USA:PG (certificate #45124) | Ireland:PG | Australia:PG | UK:PG | South Korea:All | Finland:K-7 | Norway:7 | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Portugal:M/6 (original version) | Portugal:M/6 (dubbed version) | Argentina:Atp | Sweden:7 | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:I | Belgium:KT | Mexico:AA | Peru:PT | Brazil:Livre | Singapore:PG | New Zealand:PG | Iceland:L

Company:

DreamWorks Animation

Trivia:

In the scene where Gallxhar is spreading his message around the world, a clip from Madagascar (2005) can be seen playing in the background on a screen in Times Square.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The scene depicting the evacuation of San Francisco shows tolls being collected on the Golden Gate Bridge for cars driving north. Although this is amusing, tolls are only collected southbound (on the way into San Francisco).

Quotes:

The President of the United States: Listen up! I'm not going to go down as the President who was in office when the world came to an end, so somebody think of something, and think of it fast!
[Sips coffee]
The President of the United States: That is a good cup of joe.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 81st Annual Academy Awards (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Wooly Bully

Doesn't live up to the promise.

When I first heard of Monsters vs. Aliens I literally went giddy. A 50's B-movie revival! Stephen Colbert as the President! Hugh Laurie as a cockroach! I mean, it's called Monsters vs. Aliens!!!

What I got was a mildly good movie. I mean, there were some nice gags in the Strangelove- lite War Room, and some great lines from BOB, but it really left me wanting more. As a whole, the film never got to the comical heights of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, or even Shrek 2. There are times in the movie where you know that they are going completely random to try and get some laughs, but fail pretty badly.

Besides comedy, the story itself is pretty predictable. From the moment you meet the monsters you know what the moral of the story, and you know pretty much how the whole film will play out.

But it is not a bad film. Not at all. It's good, but not great. What IS great is the 3D. Me, I've never really warmed to 3D, but they use it here in a completely different sense. Monster's vs Alien's 3D is not about shouting "OMG I CAN TOUCH HIS BEARD!!", but more about perspective. And hair. I'm sorry but it's worth seeing just for Ginormica's (Susan's) hair alone.

So basically, it's fun - but not as fun as it should have been. And take it from me: even if you're cynical about 3D; see it in 3D. It's worth the ticket price alone.