Ever since 1995’s “Toy Story,” the revolutionary film that launched a new computer-animated genre of films, Disney has been fighting a constant battle within itself between its traditional animated fare and the CGI films coming out of its Pixar division (“A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2”). However, the Pixar films, with more detailed and complicated animation than its traditional cartoons, have also tended to have richer stories and characters than the flat, stale cartoons.
“Monsters, Inc.” is no exception. It builds a colorful, intricate portrait of monster life and is a clever satire of the modern world, particularly the modern workforce.
The film centers around James P. “Sulley” Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman) and Mike Wazowksi (voiced by Billy Crystal), an odd couple who room and work together.
Sulley is a gruff, imposing beast and Mike is a small, one-eyed creature who is always overshadowed by his best friend. The power company they work for, Monsters, Inc., is responsible for generating all of the power in the monsters’ city by collecting the energy created by the screams of little boys and girls in the human world. An interesting premise, to be sure.
Sulley is the company’s top scarer, but faces cutthroat competition in the slithering Randall Boggs (voiced by Steve Buscemi), a wraith who is able blend himself with any background. Henry J. Waternoose (voiced by James Coburn) is a gruff, aging company boss who was Sulley’s mentor.
The scaring of children is dangerous work for these monsters, because the children they scare are thought to be toxic. When a small girl (voiced by Mary Gibbs) manages to make her way into the monsters’ world, fear and panic erupt in the entire city.
The film’s toxic scare plot is another indicator of how recent real-life events have changed attitudes toward what is seen on the big screen. The sight of government authorities, donning full body protective suits and gas masks for protection, is a bit disconcerting to say the least.
However, “Monsters, Inc.” manages to allow the viewer to escape the real world more often than not. Even standard story arcs — such as the friendship of opposites developed between Sulley and the little girl or the always doomed to be delayed romance between Mike and a company secretary, Celia (voiced by Jennifer Tilly) — are made fresh and interesting due to strong writing and characterization. A few overly-convienent plot twists aside, this is a well-written film.
“Monsters, Inc.,” like many recent animated films, works on both an adult’s level and a child’s level. The interplay between Goodman and Crystal is splendid, although the film has less laugh-out-loud comedy than some viewers might be expecting. However, there are enough entertaining visuals and thought-provocation to make up for some of the film’s slower moments.
Although it can’t compete in yuks with “Shrek,” a Dreamworks CGI-animated comedy released earlier this year, “Monsters, Inc.” is a lively, entertaining feast for the eyes and should not be missed.
