A rather daunting upcoming film for Pixar as its release date neared because the company hasn't been on the best of form in recent years. The two disappointments of Cars 2 in 2011 and Brave last year meant that many people, including myself, were skeptical about how this movie would turned out. Granted at least for myself, I was never a fan of the first Cars so that sequel never interested me and Brave was a completely fresh title which meant that there was always that chance of not being as good as the other films the company has produced. Is Monsters University as good as other Pixar films? Does it live up to the expectations that audiences have had? Find out.
Starting with the plot, it was a very ballsy move for them to take from the get go. Pixar's first ever prequel and I would say it was probably the most suited for one out of the films we have previously been given by them. It totally works and I was along for the ride every step of the way, having a great time which is exactly what I expected from Monsters University. It of course centres around Mike and Sulley, the two protagonists from the first film, giving us an insight into their earlier days while attending University. It is a perfect way to re introduce these characters to audiences and give us enough of a plot with substance that was relevant and entertaining that would make for a good film. It sure did I can safely say and I loved the way that the University environment was handled. This ties more into the writing I suppose but they did a great job of including many references and jokes towards University life which helped to make it suitable for all ages. Some jokes were aimed towards children that adults could still appreciate and vice versa. Something that Pixar has handled ever so well in almost each film that they have made and is one of many reasons why they are so beloved by many.
I will get more in detail with the writing for the film and reiterate a point previously made that they do an excellent job of varying the appeal to mass audiences. It is a family film and they do an exceptional job of making it translate to a variety of age groups and keeping them entertained throughout. I've seen many complaints that say Pixar doesn't stick to its true fashion in doing so but I would say Monsters University is a prime example of the company doing so. It has many jokes that are clearly aimed at children which keeps them satisfied but this is counter balanced with things that the older viewers can enjoy which makes it such a great experience. While talking about the writing, I must say this film is actually hilarious. I honestly can't remember, aside from maybe the Toy Story trilogy, another Pixar film that has made me laugh so much. I could see this being another point that many would argue against and say that it shoehorns a little too much humour into the mix. While I could slightly agree that sometimes it does come across as forced and maybe too often are they trying to search for laughs, but you have to take into account that it is a lighthearted family film so these sorts of things are expected which makes me completely fine with the matter.
It wouldn't be a Pixar review if the animation wasn't mentioned. The sheer time and effort that goes into this work at least makes it worthy of a mention but for how truly spectacular it looks, it makes crediting it all that bit more special. They didn't of course let down on this front which none of us thought they would as every fine detail was covered ever so well. The bright, crisp colours looked immaculate and really sharp, probably one of the better looking Pixar films that I've seen too. And that is one of the best complements this film could be given, to say that it is one of the best looking Pixar films for me means that this film looked absolutely flawless. The animators did a sparkling job of touching up locations and characters that we'd previously seen, making them feel as fresh and unscathed as the first film did. It really does have that feeling of having never left these character's lives and experiences which is just the highest honor to everybody working on this project. Making Mike, Sulley and Randall all look like younger versions of themselves was well handled and something that without the finest of details and touch ups, could have made it gone wrong and killed the effect they were trying to achieve. Thankfully Pixar delivered yet again which I expected them to and just from the trailers you get the sense that this element is in safe hands.
The pacing of the film was extremely good in my opinion, I don't think anybody can have a fault with this aspect. It never let up for a second, never gave any slow moments or stopped for anybody to catch up, it just kept on going. I thought it was probably the only way to do it, or at least the best way to handle what the film was trying to be. If Monsters University did have the slower moments, I think it could have quite easily become quite dull and uninteresting so I appreciate Pixar really going for this movie and attempting to try something a little different to the usual formula that they partake with.
Just a quick mention of the voice acting which was well done just like in most animated films, including Pixar ones. John Goodman and Billy Crystal were great once again, as was Steve Buscemi who despite not having as big of a part to play in this film as Monsters Inc, I would say I actually preferred both his work and his character Randall this time round. Some new additions that I feel are worth mentioning is definitely my favourite addition which is Charlie Day's Art. Charlie Day is a hilarious actor and his character certainly shows the talent that he has. I was laughing hysterically throughout the many funny moments and lines that his character had and by far was he the best of the new bunch for me. Others include Johnny Worthington voiced by Nathan Fillion who I thought served as a pretty decent 'villain'. The last that I will say is Dean Hardscrabble who Helen Mirren lent her voice too. I thought she did a fine job but my problem was that I really didn't like her character. I understand that she wasn't supposed to be liked by the audience, she served as another character that was getting in the way of the character's ambitions and dreams but I didn't see her serving much of a purpose to the integral story. She just seemed to randomly pop up her and then and despite her power as the Dean of the University, not particularly offer much more than that.
Overall, I'm not sure whether I really got the point across in my review but I loved this film. I had a really fun, enjoyable time watching it and I will certainly remember it for a long time to come. It served laughs, emotion, ups and downs and really steered home the point that Pixar well and truly still has got it. Monsters University I would say is without doubt in my top three films of the year so far. Will it be there at the end of the year? Only time will tell.
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