Monsters vs Aliens (2009)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Directors:

Rob Letterman
Conrad Vernon

Writers:

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

Release Date:

27 March 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Family | 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 | General | President

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 (dubbed version) | Portugal:M/6 (original 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 | Japan:G | Taiwan:GP | Netherlands:6

Company:

DreamWorks Animation

Trivia:

The film has a localized version in Australia where the News Reporter is not voiced by Ed Helms but instead by David Koch, a co-presenter of the morning show "Sunrise" (2003) seen on Channel 7 Australia-wide.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Even given their great heights it would have been impossible for Gallaxhar's giant robot and Insectosaurus to stand aside the Golden Gate Bridge. The water's depth is ~300 feet deep and then there's another 200+ feet from the water surface to the bridge itself.

Quotes:

Katie: This is the worst date ever.

Movie Connections:

References Spaceballs (1987)

Soundtrack:

Axel F

Good, not great (unless you see it in 3D)

Monster versus Aliens is a sometimes funny and sometimes interesting, but mostly the story is dull and the plot is nearly a non-entity.

However, this movie does take 3D to a new level at times. There's really only one obvious 3D "gag" very early in the movie, but other than that, you are just in awe of seeing these animated characters truly come to life like never before.

The character that steals the show is of course BOB (voiced by Seth Rogen) He is incredibly dumb but also fantastically funny and the most interesting of all the monsters.

The main character Susan (Reese Witherspoon) has this whole back story, but really we never care about it. Much of her story is just recycled from 100 movies that have come before and very predictable.

Still, the action and the 3D are top notch and this is a movie definitely worth seeing if you can see it in the 3D form. In 2D, I only give it a very lukewarm recommendation.