Rated PG – 1h34

Reviewed 3.29.09

It doesn’t rank with the best of the animated flicks, but it does show how computer generated movie making is a modern day art form.

In Monsters vs. Aliens, a giant robot has invaded earth. The government calls upon a group of B-movie monsters (a blob, a screeching giant insect, a 50-foot tall woman) its been holding in secret for years to fight the space invaders.

With the exception of the giant insect, who enjoyably plays a brainless mammoth, none of the characters stood out, or entertained me. While there was a lot of scurrying from one scene to the next, (showing off the 3D animation) the story was uninspired.

Here are two things I noticed. Many of the kids were shuffling around for the first few minutes, the film managed to grab their attention and hold it for the entire runtime. The other was the noticeable absence of laughter.

I always say, no matter how cool a movie looks, its nothing without a solid story to support it.