Seen on: March 28, 2009

The players: Director: Conrad Vernon, Rob Letterman, Writers: Glenn Berger, Jonathan Aibel, Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Rainn Wilson, Kiefer Sutherland and Stephen Colbert

Facts of interest: None.

The plot: A group of monsters is called in to battle a ruthless alien who's out to destroy humanity.

Our quick thoughts: DreamWorks Animations’ latest animated adventure “Monsters vs. Aliens” sounded like so much fun, but now that I’ve actually seen the flick, most of that excitement is gone. I can’t say I was utterly disappointed by this 3D family film, but a wild, explosive ride this is not!

And yet, “Monsters vs. Aliens” has almost everything it takes to go down as a truly remarkable animated movie. It has gorgeous animation with superb colors, it’s got excellent 3D effects, and it even boasts a number of funny characters. What the film lacks, however, is a decent script.

Indeed, solid, fascinating storytelling is one thing I simply couldn’t find anywhere in this movie, ands that’s a darn shame. Even though the basic concept of having monsters battling aliens on Earth sounds very intriguing at first, the final result turns out to be rather monotonous and hardly surprising.

I counted only two riveting, fast-paced action sequences during the film’s entire 94 minutes. The first one is a gripping battle in San Francisco, and the second is the final showdown aboard an alien spaceship. These are certainly two superbly entertaining moments, but they’re the only ones that really kept me awake.

Young audiences will certainly admire a lot in “Monsters vs. Aliens,” and that’s awesome. For animation fans of a higher age, however, this movie may not have that much hilarious material to offer. In the end, the recurring goofy slapstick, thin gags and dragging dialogue just didn’t win me over.

The film’s voice cast is fine, with a group of A-list Hollywood folks lending their voice to the various monsters and aliens. I particularly enjoyed Reese Witherspoon as Susan, an innocent bride who’s hit by a meteor and mysteriously turns into a giant with incredible strengths.

One of the funniest characters is Seth Rogen’s B.O.B., a gelatinous substance who actually drops some funny lines even I had to laugh at. Hugh Laurie voices a clever cockroach with a Ph.D., while Will Arnett give his voice to The Missing Link, an ancient fish-man.

Freaky quote: “Welcome! We are here to destroy you! " – Seth Rogen

The final word: “Monsters vs. Aliens” spreads a clear message about the strength of friendship and the importance of teamwork, and considering kids make up the film’s main audience, that’s certainly admirable. I only wish the filmmakers had taken their great basic idea and done something really new and crazy with it. Too bad this one’s a little too tame.

Article by Franck Tabouring