by Rianne Hill Soriano

Created on: June 25, 2010   Last Updated: July 10, 2010

“Monsters vs. Aliens” is an affectionate spoof of 1950’s sci-fi and monster flicks with the ambitious visual texture of what the 3D technology of the today can offer.

“Monsters vs. Aliens” aims to entertain every demographic in the audience. It contains much of the formula; but the occasional gross-out jokes and way-cool beasties and robots work pretty good enough. As an industry breakthrough for 3D animation, it uses the newfangled 3D effects quite nicely. And as an example of a mainstream studio blockbuster done in a generally acceptable manner, the cool stuff is balanced with enough humor and action, visuals and sounds, and relative fun and amazement for both the children and the parents (especially when seen in IMAX).

It works if you merely enjoy it’s 3D glory and not overthink. This family-friendly animated offer captures both the thrills for the kids and the nods of parents feeling the nostalgia for alien invasion movies through its fine homage to a number of flicks of the past. And it has enough color, motion, and mayhem to keep the willing viewers entertained.

Directors Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon mainly utilizes solid gags and superb technical sophistication to create the required appeal to showcase a bride-to-be-turned-50-foot-tall-superheroine and a ragtag group of monsters for fun alien battles around the city.

This Dreamworks animated funhouse uses the “Shrek” formula to incorporate grotesquely charming characters with mature and memorable themes. With its crisp and sparkling 3D look, bigger-than-life treatment, and classic movie creatures getting a high-tech makeover, the movie ably disguises its conventional family fare premise into a clever satire. However, it actually doesn’t quite live up to the top potential of its premise due to some lines falling flat and overused and a treatment losing some needed emotional punch for the sake of technological show-offs. It could have been much better if the filmmakers were able to put that kind of passion on the storytelling as they were with the audio-visual spectacle. Indeed, despite dazzling visuals and sporadic thrills, the film lacks the consistency, inventiveness, wit, and big-heartedness found in superior and unforgettable animation classics.

“MvA” uses ironic, sometimes sardonic, language to satirize just about everyone. This tale about a plus-plus-sized lady taking on extraterrestrial enemies with the help of some equally oddball

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