'Monsters' Muscle in on Film Fun

Author: Padma Govidan Staff Writer

"Monsters Inc.," a film from Pixar, is a candy-colored, fast-paced and inventive homage to lost days when children were easily scared—and thus, truly innocent (at least according to the film industry). Although it doesn't quite have the heart of "Toy Story" or "Toy Story 2," what it lacks in emotional sincerity, "Monsters Inc." makes up for in wit and visual razzle-dazzle.

Monsters Inc. is a company that specializes in frightening children, and employs creatures and "things that go bump in the night" to lurk in kids' rooms and scare them. The point of entry into our universe is through a closet, but these monsters don't operate out of any really evil intention. In true Pixar fashion, the usual, fairy-tale impetus for a character's (or group's) action is turned on its ear. These monsters scare kids purely out of self-interest, for the city of their parallel universe, Monstropolis, is powered by children's screams.

However, Monstropolis is facing an energy crisis, as children don't seem to scare as easily as they used to. This is as impersonal a business for the monsters as a corporate merger would be for any human company. Only one monster continues to exceed his scare quota: Sullivan (the voice of John Goodman), a furry blue giant who is perpetually accompanied by his best friend Mike (voice of Billy Crystal), a manic midget of a green monster with one huge eye. (Ironically, the physical contrast between Sully and Mike is paralleled by the real-life proportions of Goodman and Crystal. One can easily see Crystal fluttering around Goodman's feet as Mike does around Sully.)

Sully is held up as the ideal employee. In one devastatingly funny scene, his boss, Mr. Waternoose (James Coburn), uses Sullivan's scare technique as a model for a group of auditioning monsters. "It's all about presence," he says, "about how you enter the room." His pontifications are weirdly reminiscent of Alec Baldwin's "always be closing" speech from "Glengarry Glen Ross." As the plot progresses, Sully's status as a successful monster employee is threatened when a three-year-old human girl named Boo (Mary Gibbs) enters Monstropolis. Any artifact from the human world acts as a contaminant when it enters Monstropolis and must be eradicated by a special decontamination team (a hysterical band of monsters covered in sterile latex.) Thus, it is up to Sully and Mike to return boo to the human world without being caught, blamed and exiled.

I will say in this film's favor that it is maniacally, hysterically and unrelentingly funny. There is not a single joke or sight gag wasted here, from the fear of banishment with the Loch Ness Monster, to the vision of Mike trying slip in a giant dome of a contact lens. No opportunity is wasted to spoof corporate politics, including motivation sessions and there are even a few digs at "Toy Story." What's more, with "Monsters Inc.," Pixar has achieved total animation perfection. The colors and depth of dimension scream "this was really expensive" to the audience. Yet, there is none of the sweetness or honesty of other animation flicks of this kind, particularly "Toy Story" and "Shrek." The film gets a little clichéd at the end, considering the syrupy way it conveys its message on the importance of celebrating innocence and childhood for as long as it lasts. (Does every feature-length cartoon have to espouse this? You would think so, given how many films seem to hold onto this as the ultimate moral of every story containing children.)

I honestly don't know how "Monsters Inc." will hold up against "Harry Potter" next week. Yes, I do—it will get wasted at the box office. Not having seen "Harry Potter," I can't say whether this is a fate that "Monsters Inc." will deserve, but I will say that it is not the best film that Pixar has ever released. But it is certainly diverting and good enough for an afternoon with your little brother or friends.