Monsters Inc. (2003) 3D (2012) review

Running Time: 92 mins
Directed By: Pete Docter
Starring: Voice cast: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi, James Coburn, Jennifer Tilly, Frank Oz
Screenplay: Andrew Stanton, Daniel Gerson
UK Release Date: 19th December 2012 - US/ 18th January 2013 -UK

Review: Every single Pixar film is known as a gem, even if you’re one of those where Wall•E and Ratatouille didn’t particularly move you. With the success of recent Pixar’s in 3D, it seems fitting that the original beauties should be converted and what better time for a Monsters Inc. in 3D than now, with Monsters University gracing our screens in the next few months.

  For those who don’t know, Monsters Inc. is set in the City of Monstropolis, which is inhabited by Monsters. To generate their power, some monsters work in the factory, Monsters Inc., to scare human children because their screams are collected as power. Human children are believed to be toxic in the monster world, so when one accidentally makes its way through a closet portal and into the hands of Sully, he and his best friend Mike have to find a way to get rid of her. In Pixar fashions, everything about Monstropolis is bright, colourful and beams off screen. The entire appearance of the film is glorious and it’s no wonder it cheers people up straight away.

  Monsters Inc. is certainly one of Pixar’s best films; there is no doubt about it. The laugh-out-loud physical gags for kids, mostly Mike, hit the adults, making it a bigger success than most kid’s films. Pixar, as everyone knows, don’t aim for the younger generation, but family. By seeing it in a room full of children and adults, laughing is more contagious and the majority of the hilarious events on screen end up making stomachs hurt from laughter. John Goodman, Billy Crystal and the rest of the brilliantly voiced cast aid the fun and likability of Monsters Inc. Mike and Sully are an iconic dynamic duo, and their chemistry from their voices is so evident at times, it feels as if Goodman and Crystal were destined for these roles in their career.

  On the most part, the 3D conversion works pretty well and most evidently during the opening sequence of them beautifully coloured doors. In the last 40 or so minutes, where the tension begins to build, after Mike and Sully realise Randall’s evil plan, the danger seems to be amplified by the 3D. The real scary monsters like Mr Waternoose and Randall appear far more frightening in 3D than before, as their spider legs or scales are in your face while the rushed chases through closet doors seem more like a narrow escape route. 3D puts audiences into a film and despite the fact it’s animation and about monsters, Pixar and the use of 3D do their job to make it feel real.

  There are moments when the 3D isn’t used as well as it could be, but it is only a conversion and the film didn’t plan on shooting things towards the screen and into people’s faces. The biggest benefit of 3D was the opening short of For The Birds, which seems like it was made for 3D with flying feathers.

  11 years on and Monsters Inc. hasn’t lost any of its spark and fun, while the 3D works nicely for kids who have yet to see it on the big screen. One of Pixar’s winners still remains on top.

5/5

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