It’s hard to believe that it has been twelve years since the wonderful Monsters Inc graced our screens, especially considering that if you re-watch the film now it still looks as good as new. Monsters Inc was released in the golden era of Pixar, a film which came hot on the heels of the amazing sequel that was Toy Story 2 and just before the exceptional Finding Nemo.
However, the golden era is no more for Pixar. Cars marked the beginning of a slight decline, the first real criticism for the studio. Even though they recovered brilliantly with Ratatouille, Up and Toy Story 3, which is arguably one of the greatest follow-up films of all time, the release of Cars 2 left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
A studio which had been so original in their content were suddenly walking over old ground in what felt like a “cash-in” policy to audiences. Cars made more money on merchandise than all the other Pixar films put together and many questioned their motives. When Pixar announced they would be following up other favourites like Monsters Inc and Finding Nemo with sequels also, many became disillusioned with the company.
Upon viewing Monsters University you will begin to understand some people’s concerns…
The prequel to the witty, funny and quite brilliant Monsters Inc tells the story of how Mike met Sulley met at Monsters University. The story initially revolves around Mike (a very adorable young Mike) who after a visit to Monsters Inc makes it his life’s ambition to become a scarer. Fast forward to his college years and Mike has earned his place in Monsters University through hard grafting while clinging to his dream.
Sulley, on the other hand, was a born scarer, someone with natural talent who feels he doesn’t need to study that hard to become the greatest scarer in college. The pair become hugely competitive and it is only when they are kicked out of the scare programme following a row that they begin to work together.
They both join a sorority which consists of other monsters who have been kicked out of Scare School and the pair become determined to get back into their course by winning a bet with Dean Hardscrabble. However, the bet involves them winning the prestigious Scare Games, and unfortunately their team are just not that scary.
The main complaint about Monsters University is that it is just fine, and in this case that really isn’t a good thing. The clever aspects of the script which Monsters Inc was famed for are completely absent from this production, the characters much less witty, the banter between the new friends not a patch on Mike and Sulley in Inc.
Although these are characters that were quite obviously hugely developed in the original film, it almost seems like they are not quite sure what exactly to do with Mike and Sulley or how to get that great over and back going. Art is by far the best character and this really shows up how the writer’s seem lost on our favourite duo’s beginnings.
The most obvious problem is the lack of Boo which kept the entire structure together for Inc and although the prequel hints a lot towards the human aspect of the story, they really needed her involvement from the beginning, not only because she is so darn cute but to really ruffle some feathers and create some drama.
Don’t get us wrong, if Monsters University was the first film for Mike and Sulley, we would be lapping it up and excited about the sequel but as a prequel? Well, it’s just fine.
