Monsters vs. Aliens has its share of appealing ideas and
half-realized scenes. But just as the title lays out the simple draw of
its premise, it also illustrates the fit-for-Happy Meal-toys reduction
of it all. Monsters vs. Aliens‘ magic is extinguished by too
many committee decisions. This doesn’t make for stirring pop fantasy,
though it comes close with a story thread about a woman who grows into
a giant during her wedding ceremony. Exiled to a monster stronghold
following her dramatic growth burst, Susan Murphy (voice of Reese
Witherspoon) is forced to overcome her ideas of marital success, and
experience life as an outsider (under new identity Ginormica). When her
fiance rejects her new size, his lack of support exemplifies the fear
of commitment that can occur when illness or physical change enters a
relationship.
That’s brave ground for a family sci-fi comedy, but Monsters vs.
Aliens hasn’t the faith in its scenario to see it through. Despite
Susan looking repulsed at her mother-in-law’s grotesquely small thumbs,
it barely establishes her superficiality before she mutates. Pop
cultural references abound, and they’re sometimes clever, but
everything is steamrolled by noise and indecision.
The Dr. Strangelove war-room scenes were already carried to
an alien invasion plot in Mars Attacks!. When the president
(voice of Stephen Colbert) communicates to a spaceship by playing the
Close Encounters theme, before finding out if he’ll have more
luck with “Axel F,” it’s a good idea on paper. But the movie never
allows itself the breathing room to become a classic. The best scenes,
such as a young couple’s “parking” date interrupted by a UFO landing,
are cut too short. Everything’s been so agonized over that not much of
it remains inspired.
This article appears in Apr 2-8, 2009.