Pixar’s first foray into prequel territory, Monsters University continues the animation film studios tradition of hearty laughs and character rich stories, yet cannot contend with the mighty weight of high expectations brought on by its superior original.
You have to feel for the next generation of Pixar filmmakers. So high the bar was raised by the likes of John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird (responsible for Toy Story, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles, respectively) that any movie released after that golden of golden periods will have a lot to live up to, like a younger sibling following the path of an older, trailblazing brother (such is the sausage factory that is Pixar).
In the case of Monsters University that younger sibling is Dan Scanlon, a storyboard artist on Pixar films Cars and Toy Story 3 who stepped up to the plate to direct this prequel.
It would not have been an easy task. Monsters Inc. stands as one of the great animated movies, a monster hit (pardon the pun) when released in 2001 that – along with Toy Story and Finding Nemo – stands as one of the pillars that Pixar has built its legacy upon.
Its story of best friends James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), monsters who work for a company that generates the city of Monstropolis via the screams of young children, goes back ten years earlier in Monsters University where (as the title suggests) the pair attend college with ambitions to become great scarers…if they don’t kill each other first.
Scanlon knows what elements are needed in a great Pixar product – great gags, memorable characters, heartfelt story – and mostly delivers. Working off one of the funnier Pixar scripts (co-written with Robert L. Baird and Daniel Gerson) Monsters University works as both a frat house comedy and coming of age tale.
Crystal and Goodman are (of course) excellent in their reprisal of Sullivan and Wazowski (Pixar’s other dynamic duo not named Woody and Buzz), as is Helen Mirren as Dean Hardscrabble, the cold as ice headmistress of Monsters University who could make Satan himself shake at the knees.
What Monsters University does lack is that emotional payoff that its predecessor so wonderfully pulls off. While Scanlon does a good job at presenting a story about lessons learned and that the road to success is one with many detours and potholes, missing is that emotional anchor needed to justify revisiting these well known and loved characters.
Sure, we now have a backstory to the Sullivan/Wazowski pairing, but what good is creating a franchise out of a star product if you can’t add layers to an already satisfactory (emotionally and entertainingly) story? Monsters Inc. is a timeless classic. Monsters University – while better than most animated releases – will ultimately prove to be a middle of the yarn entry in the majestic Pixar canon. |