Monsters vs. Aliens Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Monsters vs. Aliens Blu-ray Movie Review

Out-of-this-world entertainment!

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 30, 2009

I come in peace, I mean you no harm, and you all will die.

The world of computer-generated animation has seen monsters before; it's seen aliens before; but never before in the history of all the world has it seen MONSTERS VS ALIENS!!!!!! That's right, animation lovers young and old, of all shapes and sizes, of this world or another, for the first time ever, the silver screen will run green (or is it blue?) with globulous, gelatinous, ginormous goo! Fifty-foot-females flop, fumble, and fight to the finish! Big buzzing bugs battle baddies! Tentacled extraterrestrials trash Terra! Please remain calm, ladies and germs, boys and girls, cockroaches and blobs; it's all part of the show...or is it? There's only one way to find out. Don't panic, don't run for the hills, and please, don't scream! Just settle in and enjoy Monsters vs. Aliens, DreamWorks' all-new digital extravaganza!

Talk about a "bridezilla."

Sarah (Reese Witherspoon) is about to get married to Derek (Paul Rudd), a small-time TV weatherman with aspirations to be a big-city anchor. Before the ceremony, Sarah is hit by a meteor that falls to Earth, and before she can say, "I do," she grows many feet taller and is subsequently wrangled by the government. Awakening in a government cage, she finds herself still stories tall and imprisoned with several other monsters: the aptly-named Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie), a mad scientist and, yup, a Cockroach; B.O.B. (Seth Rogen), a gelatinous blue creature without a clue; The Missing Link (Will Arnett), a hybrid creature with a knack for frightening people; and Insectosaurus, a giant bug that dwarfs even Susan. Renamed "Ginormica," Susan finds herself desperate to return to her normal life but forced to remain in government custody. Meanwhile, an evil alien named Gallaxhar (Rainn Wilson) is searching for a substance called "quantonium." He detects it on Earth -- inside Susan's body to be exact -- and sends a gigantic probe to recover it. When diplomacy fails and a military strike proves ineffective at destroying the hostile alien visitor, the government chooses to employ its last hope, pitting the long-captive monsters vs. the new alien arrivals for a battle royal, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance and on Susan's ability to find purpose and strength in her size and alongside her new friends.

Monsters vs. Aliens is good, wholesome fun for the entire family; it'll keep the little ones -- both in stature and in heart -- highly entertained, but it'll also reward longtime Science Fiction fans with a healthy dosage of winks and nods to some of the classics of the genre, both new and old. Though some are more obvious than others, Monsters vs. Aliens either borrows from or outright lampoons Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, "Red Dwarf," Star Trek, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Independence Day, It Came From Beneath the Sea, Transformers, and many more. The good old Theremin is present and accounted for in several scenes, and while Attack of the 50 Foot Woman is the obvious lead film in the parade of parody, there's a constant undercurrent that makes Monsters vs. Aliens something of a throwback to the classic days of The Day the Earth Stood Still. The movie's true strength lies in how it so effortlessly -- and with so much fun and energy -- recalls the classic feel of the Science Fiction genre but places the story in modern times and plays out completely in the digital realm, a far cry from the bad props, silver jumpsuits, phony ray guns, and UFOs on strings that bounced around black-and-white 1950s film stock.

Indeed, it's truly a marvel just how far technology has come. While man still isn't buzzing about in the flying cars that captured the imaginations of little Johnny and Peggy Sue as they left the quarter Science Fiction matinee double feature, he's got a pretty good grasp on this movie magic business. No doubt audiences will watch Monsters vs. Aliens fifty years from now and have a good chuckle at those that marveled at the amazing definition, lifelike flow, and pristine colors that make up the movie, but in the here and now, it's truly a wonder to behold, just like that styrofoam flying saucer on the end of a stick dazzled viewers decades ago. Monsters vs. Aliens is the sort of film that's primed for the digital revolution. It allows for all the laws of nature to be broken, all the wonderful genre clichés to be fully realized, and the fun factor of the material to be multiplied dozens of times over thanks to the digital realm's limitless potential. Still, the movie is made possible thanks to the toil of man; from the creative minds that thought it up to the graphic artists that sat tirelessly in front of monitors making it happen, or from the software engineers that deigned the programs to the voice actors that brought the characters to life, any movie like Monsters vs. Aliens is only as good as the flesh and blood behind the bytes; no wonder this is such a good movie.

From a design standpoint, Monsters vs. Aliens gets it right. While none of the characters are particularly revolutionary, they're all charming in their own right and loads of fun. The film offers an appropriately eclectic bunch of heroes and the obligatory dangerous and wily but not all that scary villain. Each primary character brings something unique to the table, both physically and emotionally. They're well-developed thanks not only to quality writing but the exceptional voiceover work that adds the perfect finishing touch to a lovable group of characters. Reese Witherspoon is great as Susan, and she and the remainder of the cast demonstrate an almost uncanny ability to completely immerse themselves into their characters; there's nary a moment where a voice becomes greater than its character, where a recognizable cadence takes viewers out of the movie as they think of the actor rather than the character. While Monsters vs. Aliens does deal with a few social issues -- the importance of self-worth or the power of friendship, for instance -- the message takes a back seat to the story, and never once does the movie become bogged down by anything that takes away from the quick pace and absolute fun factor that makes it a success.

Monsters vs. Aliens Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Monsters vs. Aliens mutates onto Blu-ray with a breathtaking 1080p, 2.39:1-framed transfer. Aside from some obvious banding throughout and the disappointing lack of a 3D presentation, there's nothing negative to say about this image. Colors are rich and beautiful, bright and lively. From Ginormica's white hair to the burnt orange color of the Golden Gate Bridge, every hue appears accurate, bright, and well-balanced on-screen; no shade ever becomes lost in the shuffle or suffers as a result of shifting lighting conditions. As expected of a brand-new digitally-animated feature, the intricate level of fine detail seen throughout Monsters vs. Aliens is extraordinary. Insectosaurus' hairs in particular impress; not only is the coloring wonderful, but there's a flow and a sense of individuality from one strand to the next. The image also reveals fine pores and freckles on character's faces, the rough texture of paved streets, and plenty of nicks, scratches, dents, and other imperfections on the alien probe's body. Though it seems almost routine that these digitally animated productions translate exceptionally well to Blu-ray, they never fail to impress, and Monsters vs. Aliens continues in that tradition, and this is one disc that's sure to impress for years to come.

Monsters vs. Aliens Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Monsters vs. Aliens lands on Blu-ray with a reference-quality Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. While the track's more mundane segments -- particularly its pre-Ginormica opening sequence -- offer little to capture listeners' attentions, the film's more action-oriented segments deliver can't-miss, demo-worthy sonic goodness. The track does well to create a realistic sense of space; wedding chapel doors open towards either side of the soundstage in one early scene, and the resultant creaks flow effortlessly from the middle out to the front right and left ends of the soundtrack. Again, it's the little touches that truly mark a great soundtrack, and such nuances are included here in spades. Of course, it's the action scenes that will have listeners' heads spinning. There's no single moment that stands above the crowd; every such scene is equally intense, and the track delivers a full-fledged surround-sound extravaganza that fully realizes the sense of space during each action scene. Sounds aren't just haphazardly thrown into the back channels; this is a seamless presentation, and Monsters vs. Aliens fully engulfs its audience into its superbly-mixed soundtrack. The low end rumbles throughout but never overpowers any single sound effect. Each action scene is a pleasure, and rounded out by the expected pitch-perfect dialogue reproduction, Monsters vs. Aliens makes for a reference-quality soundtrack that the entire family can enjoy.

Monsters vs. Aliens Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Monsters vs. Aliens comes in peace and offers earthlings a few supplemental features as a sign of goodwill. Things get started with a commentary track featuring Producer Lisa Stewart, Co-Director Rob Letterman, and Co-Director Conrad Vernon. The filmmakers discuss their approach to 3D (which fans unfortunately cannot see on this Blu-ray), the many homages and nuances in the film, the cast and crew's work, scrapped ideas, character design, and more. Despite some gaps in the comments, fans should enjoy listening to this one. The Animators' Corner is a picture-in-picture multi-participant video commentary that focuses more on the film's design and the process of bringing it to life. The secondary video window showcases plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, crude animations, and parts of the film in various stages of completion. Viewers will also learn more about the casting process, the directors, editing the film, working in 3D, and much more. Once again, this makes for a must-watch feature for fans of the film or animation in general. Also included is a pop-up trivia track that offers various tidbits surrounding the film and some of the ideas presented throughout.

Monstrous 3D & More contains two 3D features (for use with the included glasses): B.O.B.'s Big Break (1080p, 13:19, Dolby Digital 5.1) and Paddle Ball (1080p, Dolby Digital 2.0), the latter of which is a 3D game played with the remote. While both are good features, they only serve as a disappointing reminder that the 3D version of the feature film is not included. Out-of-This-World 2D Fun once again features B.O.B.'s Big Break, this time in 2D. This tab also contains Karaoke Music Party, singalong pieces with Ginormica (1080p, 2:04), B.O.B. (1080p, 1:46), and The Missing Link and Dr. Cockroach (1080p, 1:42). Next is a collection of three deleted scenes (1080i, 5:29), presented in various stage of development. Modern Monster Movie-Making (1080i, 17:28) looks at the new digital and 3D revolution and Monsters vs. Aliens' place as the perfect outlet to showcase the new technologies. The piece also contains the voice cast discussing their characters, the process of recording voiceover work, and a look into the real-world acting implemented to ensure accuracy in the digital realm. Tech of MVA (1080i, 6:19) takes an all-too-brief look at the "tools of the trade" used to bring the movie to life. Finally, DreamWorks Animation Video Jukebox contains 1080p music videos for various DreamWorks Animation films: Over the Hedge (2:00), Madagascar (1:04), Kung Fu Panda (2:37), Bee Movie (1:25), Shrek (1:17), and Flushed Away (2:01).

Monsters vs. Aliens Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

What's not to love? Monsters vs. Aliens expertly meshes throwback science fiction with a modern setting and animation technique, making it one of the finest of its kind both in the animated realm and the world of Science Fiction. The film is accessible to both young and old, hardcore Science Fiction fan or genre newbie, and while the movie takes its cues form any number of classic Science Fiction films and motifs, it never oversteps its bounds and corners itself into a position where only dedicated genre fans could love it. A must-see animated film for its lovable characters, excellent action, great digital design, fabulous voiceover work, and tribute to the greats of its genre, Monsters vs. Aliens makes for crowd-pleasing entertainment at its finest. DreamWorks' Blu-ray release is expectedly stellar. Featuring a reference-quality lossless soundtrack and a 1080p transfer that's just about as good, the disc only lacks a more thorough supplemental department. Nevertheless, Monsters vs. Aliens makes for a must-own Blu-ray disc even despite the absence of the 3D presentation. Highly recommended!