Last night, I was fortunate enough to attend the premiere of Pixar's return to the wonderfully animated world of monsters in their latest feature film, Monsters University. While very different in tone, theme, and setting, Monsters University is still able to rise to the challenge and stand proudly next to Monsters, Inc.
Monsters University rewinds the clock and takes us back to the college years of both Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (John Goodman). Long before they were lurking in closets for a living, Mike and Sulley were just two Scaring majors at Monsters University, dreaming of the day they would make children shriek in terror. When their heated competition to be the most fearsome in their class gets out of hand; however, Mike and Sulley find themselves ejected from the prestigious Scare Program, and they are forced to seek the aid of their oddball friends in order to get their education back on track. Everything is on the line: it's either get back into the Scare Program or leave Monsters University... forever.
Pixar is once again at the top of its game in their latest film. Monsters University has it all. Laughs. Smiles. Sadness. Joy. Suspense. And fun. Oh, and not to mention the typical Pixar heartwarming ending. What is particularly great about this film is the fact that it ties up all the loose ends from the first movie. Monsters University reveals why Randall and Sulley are enemies, how Mike became interested in scaring, how Mike and Sulley got jobs at Monsters Incorporated, and most importantly, how the two became such close friends. The movie also does something incredibly surprising. It changes the way you'll view Monsters, Inc. Never again will I look at that movie the same way, but I won't spoil anything here.
One thing you'll probably notice in this prequel is that there is a shift in focus. While Monsters, Inc. focused more on Sulley, Monsters University focuses more on Mike. You'll also notice a change in setting. Monsters Incorporated is in the movie for a total of five to ten minutes. The vast majority of the film is set at Monsters University and the frat house for Oozma Kappa, the most lovable set of misfits you'll ever meet. I won't spoil anything, but there is also a profound message for people of all ages towards the end of the film. In fact, I would even say this is one of Pixar's strongest messages in their history.
As always, the voice acting is phenomenal. Billy Crystal and John Goodman fall right back into character and deliver outstanding performances. Another stand out is Helen Mirren, who captivates the audience every time her character is on the screen. Helen plays Dean Hardscrabble, who is menacing and intimidating. By the end though, her character reminded me a lot of Professor McGonagall from Harry Potter, so I didn't hate the Dean too much. All the other voice actors do a fine job and add life to the film. Not to mention the fact that all the characters themselves are simply lively. The script is near perfection and all the characters are pretty well fleshed out. By far though, my new favorite minor character is Squishy's Mom, who is hysterical. This is the one character that made me laugh every time she was on screen.
The pacing of Monsters University is also well done. It stands at about 1 hour and 40 minutes, so it's not too long for little kids. Never once did I feel the need to check my watch and the movie just flew by. There were no really boring parts and the movie avoids repeating itself, making it feel fresh and new.
Is Monsters University better than its predecessor? That's up for you to decide. I went into the movie expecting it to live up to Monsters, Inc. and be a super fantastic movie. So when it started, I was beginning to feel a little let down. However, eventually I forgot about the other movie and simply enjoyed this one as it is - a great animated film. Both Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University are wonderful Pixar movies, just in very different ways. I highly recommend you see this movie in theaters, no matter your age, and learn what life was like before Monsters, Inc.
RATING: 4.5 / 5
This film is rated G.
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