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• a great family movie posted on 31 August 2009

  I would just have to say that my wife and i saw this in theaters and we laughed very hard while watching the movie. And to us it is a must watch and buy for any family to watch.

• Good Clean FUN (Safe for kids and grown ups) posted on 31 August 2009

  I cannot believe some of the negative reviews people have tossed out on this film.
  I especially loved the one written by the idiot claiming the connection with the HOMO Agenda??? ( YOU are a particularly sick and twisted freak!)
  This is good old American fun with plenty of laughs.
  Watch it and enjoy.
  This is no more subversive that an episode of Jimmy Neutron.
  Get over yourselves, this movie rocks.
  
  JD

• Disgrateful writing! posted on 31 August 2009

  Monsters vs. Aliens gives Science-Fiction a BAD NAME!
  
  Animation was doing just fine, until Dreamworks took over!
  
  Down with Dreamworks, with their sick sense of humor they put in their GARBAGE!

• No Laughs and a Homosexual Agenda posted on 31 August 2009

  I took my 7yo girl and 5yo boy to see this movie. Read the other reviews here for the "story plot" etc. They covered it very well. I will say that both of my kids said afterwards that they liked it, but none of us had any laughs during the movie. I didn't like it at all - really just missing humor and story line was lacking. Also worth noting that the whole thing was pushing the homosexual agenda - homo characters, comments and body language. It did seem to fly over my (young) kids heads (but they're not aware of "gay" / such things anyway). So, if you swing that way / bat for the other team, you'll love it - if not, don't waste your money (forget the homo agenda...it just wasn't a good film, wasn't funny, and was pretty lame overall.

• Pretty Entertaining posted on 31 August 2009

  Monsters vs Aliens is about a woman named Susan (Reese Witherspoon) that's hit by a meteor on her wedding day. She's then captured by the military after she becomes a giant. She's kept in a cell with 4 friendly monsters. They are released to take out aliens that show up on Earth and that prove to be more of a threat.
  
  The movie is fun with constant humor. It's a lot more fun and entertaining than the Incredibles as well. I also loved the voice work by Seth Rogen and Hugh Laurie. Rogen has done voice work in a few movies now, but he's actually his most entertaining here. While the action is just as entertaining as the actors.

• Good fun for kids and grownups! posted on 31 August 2009

  My friend and I went to this with kids aged 3, 8 and 12 and everybody loved it! We saw it in 2D and did not feel like we were missing anything. There's a lot of cleverness in here about old monster movies, great sight gags, turning some movie conventions on their heads. The characters are not as deeply developed as those in, say, Up! or Shrek, but this is a MONSTER movie with ALIENS, it is an homage! It's not meant to be a Message movie, just good fun, and it delivers. There is some good action but also a lot of plot. The characters are smart and interesting, and the movie never talks down to its audience like so many kids' movies do. My 3yo daughter did not find it too scary, despite the name it is not loud & frenetic (as opposed to the latest Ice Age, which we almost had to walk out of). Watch it with a big bowl of popcorn as a weekend matinee!

• (3.5 STARS) Delightful Ride with Interesting Characters and Pop Culture References posted on 31 August 2009

  I hate to say this, but let's face it. Unlike the company's "Shrek," DreamWorks's latest animation "Monsters vs. Aliens" is not likely to win the next year's Oscar. Though the animation is technically marvelous, and the film is fun to be sure, funny with many jokes, "Monsters vs. Aliens" doesn't have one thing every great animation film has - that is, a good script, or a story that really grabs your heart.
  
  This is not to say the film is a failure. Actually, "Monsters vs. Aliens" is quite entertaining. The story is about Susan Murphy (voice by Reese Witherspoon), a bride hit by a meteorite on her wedding day. Her body starts to glow, and then grow, and she becomes a giant woman. Taken to the government's secret facilities, she has to live there totally isolated from the world until an evil alien sends a huge robot to the Earth.
  
  
  So who is going to fight? Of course, it's the team of "monsters" including Susan or "Ginormica," "B.O.B" (voice by Seth Rogen), Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie), The Missing Link (Will Arnett) and a giant bug "Insectosaurus," led by General W.R. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland).
  
  As its tongue-in-cheek title suggest, "Monsters vs. Aliens" is partly homage to old-fashioned B-movies made in the 1950-60s. You cannot watch Susan's giant woman character roaming in the street without remembering the campy classic "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman." As if to make up for the weak storyline, "Monsters vs. Aliens" has a lot of gags and references to pop culture, and Stephen Colbert gives the most hilarious turn as "The President." The film also has a unique soundtrack, unlikely combination of B-52, the theme from Beverly Hills Cop, and oldies like The Exciters' "Tell Him."
  
  
  I didn't see the film in 3-D, but the visuals are still wonderful, especially the scenes in and around the city of San Francisco. Interestingly they decided to "shoot" the film as if it is a live-action film, and it works, at least in the 2-D format.
  
  The storyline is uneven at best and those lovable characters (you just can't hate even this silly "villain") deserve a better script. "Monsters vs. Aliens" is a delightful 94 minute ride of roller coaster, but don't expect something deep and emotional like "Monsters Inc."

• How Could Dreamworks go from Kung Fu Panda to This? posted on 31 August 2009

  Monsters vs Aliens is the exact opposite of Kung Fu Panda. It has no vision , it has no interesting characters, it doesn't look good, and the heroine is quite irritating. It's the kind of movie I wonder how it even got past the script stage. It all feels a bit... random, and not fleshed out at all.
  
  
  Susan (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) is struck by a meteor on her wedding day to a cocky anchorman. Transformed into Ginormica, she is sealed off in Area 51 by the government, alongside four 'monsters' - a mad scientist turned cockroach, the missing link, a weird gigantic larva, not to mention the "Blob" himself - only his name is Bob. Their help is needed, however, when an alien emperor plans to invade earth.
  
  
  The premise sounds promising but the execution is all off. Of all the 'monsters' they could think of, they go for those four? They have none of the depth or visual appeal of the characters in Kung Fu Panda. None of the characters appear to have gone through a character design stage at all; they all look quite crude and unimaginative. If this movie had a vision, I'm not seeing it. The plot is very thin and is almost solely held together by gags - which are admittedly quite hysterical at times. But jokes alone don't make a movie.
  
  
  While I enjoyed the movie a bit more than I thought I would (or should have), it left zero with me. As I watched this movie unfold in the cinema, I only found the 3D glasses I was wearing to be worth the ticket. It seems Dreamworks learned nothing from their previous film, Kung Fu Panda. What I love about that film is that it's deep and full of substance, and just plain beautiful. I just don't understand how Dreamworks could throw all that out the window. But even the dumbest script in the world can sometimes be saved by just being 'cool' - and this movie doesn't even have enough substance for that. Nothing about this movie attracts me to it. Dreamworks have completely degraded their standard with Monsters vs Aliens, and I hope it's only a temporary setback. I'd rather studios focusing on making movies with more substance than movies that come out of the screen.

• Monsters v Aliens - Great Movie, AWESOME 3D posted on 31 August 2009

  I took my son today to see Monsters versus Aliens in Real 3D. Having grown up in the 3D revival era (remember Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3-D or Jaws 3D?), I had my doubts about how good this 3D could actually be. Reminiscences of the paper glasses with one blue and one red lens made me wary of what this movie might offer.
  
  Our first exposure to this new "Real-D 3D" was a preview for the movie Battle for Terra. I was immediately sold on this incredible new 3D technology! Wearing clear-lensed 3D glasses made large enough to fit comfortably over prescription glasses, this new technology involves none of the color distortion of the early 3D movies while providing an exceedingly realistic three dimensional experience.
  
  For a movie that reportedly used the 3D process as an enhancement to the story and not a gimmicky addition, Monsters versus Aliens starts with an early scene of a man playing paddle ball while waiting for some form of extra-terrestrial activity to pop up on a computer monitor. I literally flinched when the paddle ball popped out of the screen, nearly hitting me in the nose.
  
  Other realistic three dimensional effects included snow blowing around in a scene that made me feel as if I was actually in the snow storm, soaring through the rings around Saturn, and a meteor crashing to the earth, just to name a few.
  
  The story line of the movie was pleasing, as well, with a governmental facility where monsters are kept being forced to release the monsters to fight off an invading alien force that the American military is ineffective against (must be the post-Obama military era). There are only two brief scenes in the movie that even the most guarded of viewers should be okay with. When the President of the United States (played by Stephen Colbert) receives a warning from Galaxhar, the ruler of the invading alien armada, that everyone will die within 24 hours, he says, "Raise the alert level to brown, because I need to change my pants." In another scene, when bride turned monster Ginormica is approached by the other monsters who are trying to figure out what the giant monster woman is, B.O.B., an indestructible gelatinous mass, says, "He's a boy. Look at his boobies."
  
  My son and I both immensely enjoyed Monsters versus Aliens, both for it's humorous story line and it's incredible 3D effects. Happily, there will be more where that came from as at least eight other films are slated for release this year in this incredible 3D format. This movie is a must-see for all!
  
  Jeff Cole is an author, blogger, and podcaster. http://www.averagejoeamerican.us

• Code Brown posted on 31 August 2009

  News Reporter: "Once again, a UFO has landed in America, the only country UFOs ever seem to land in."
  
  Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):
  
  1. Star studded cast lights up the screen (or at least their voices do) in a funny and action-packed computer-animated film from Dreamworks.
  2. Reese Witherspoon is Susan Murphy, a sweet home Modesto girl who doesn't realize her true worth until she gets hit by a meteor. . .
  
  3. . . . on her wedding day
  4. The casting people outdo themselves with Seth Rogen as a brainless blob, Hugh Laurie as a mad doctor with the ethics of a cockroach, Rainn Wilson as an evil alien and Stephen Colbert as the President of the United States.
  5. Think of a bigger, better Mars Attacks! and Spaceballs.
  
  When an evil alien targets Earth as a source of "quantonium", the Government has only one option, and that is to call out the monsters under the command and supervision of General W. R. Monger (Keifer Sutherland).
  
  
  General W.R. Monger: "This place is an X-file wrapped in a cover-up and deep-fried in a government conspiracy."
  
  Other star vocal talent includes Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Jeffrey Tambor, Renee Zellweger and John Krasinski, among others.
  
  The plot itself may not be a classic, but the animation and casting make it a movie you'll want to have in your collection.
  
  Recommended, naturally, for fans of superior computer animation, monsters and aliens.
  
  
  The President of the United States: "Boys, set the terror level at code brown, 'cause I need to change my pants."
  
  
  Amanda Richards, April 19, 2009
  
  

• Send in the Mutant Troops! posted on 31 August 2009

  "Monsters vs. Aliens" is just plain fun, a film, I suspect, adults will enjoy more than children. Yes, it does have plenty for children to enjoy, not the least of which are the impressive animation effects and the fact that it's presented in 3-D. But consider the fact that numerous satirical references are made to global warming and the American government, and one character is given one or two hilarious lines regarding her thumbs and how one is smaller than the other: Will kids really understand or even notice these touches? I tend to doubt it. Regardless, I think everyone will enjoy this film. If you're one of those people who think 3-D effects are distracting, don't worry--not all theaters playing "Monsters vs. Aliens" are equipped to show it in 3-D. You therefore have the option of experiencing it without being subjected to objects flying off the screen.
  
  The story begins on the day Modesto native Susan Murphy (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) is to be married to local TV weatherman Derek Dietl (voiced by Paul Rudd). As she stands outside the church, waiting for the ceremony to begin, a meteorite suddenly falls from the sky and lands directly on top of her. She isn't killed, but the strange radiation from the meteorite transforms her into a giant; it isn't long before she's tranquilized by government agents and taken away.
  
  When she awakens, she learns that she's being held in a secret high tech facility designed to keep monsters out of the public eye. She then meets four of the residents. The first, nicknamed B.O.B. (voiced by Seth Rogen), is a viscous blue blob with one eye and no brain, the result of a genetic accident involving a tomato and a packet of ranch dressing. The second, Dr. Cockroach Ph.D. (voiced by Hugh Laurie) was once a man until a machine fused his DNA with that of an insect; now he's a child-sized bug who likes to laugh like an evil scientist. The third, The Missing Link (voiced by Will Arnett), is a fish-human hybrid who isn't the most physically able but likes to pretend that he is. The fourth is Insectosaurus, a monstrous caterpillar that once attacked Tokyo. The facility they're in is run by the aptly named W.R. Monger (voiced by Kiefer Sutherland), a tough-talking general whose Southern accent is second only to his loud voice. Because of her enormous size, he gives Susan the nickname Ginormica.
  
  (If I may digress for a moment: If you take another look at the way I described the monsters, you might notice that they were inspired by five famous monster movies--"Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman," "The Blob," "The Fly," "Creature from the Black Lagoon," and "Mothra.")
  
  When a tentacled alien creature named Gallaxhar (voiced by Rainn Wilson) sends a giant robot probe to Earth on a mission of destruction, Monger convinces the President (voiced by Stephen Colbert) to let the monsters take care of the problem. At this point, it becomes a journey of self-discovery for Susan--she essentially begins realizing that she's actually achieved something by being transformed into a monster, and because of that, she starts to rethink her relationship with Derek. It's not as if he was all that nice a guy to begin with.
  
  But what am I talking about? Not too many people will see "Monsters vs. Aliens" looking for a commentary on self-esteem. Above all else, it's a light-hearted animated comedy built around inside jokes, witty dialogue, and sight gags. A good example of the last is the scene in which Susan finds herself fighting against Gallaxher's robot; before trying to save innocent people driving on the Golden Gate Bridge, she puts both her feet into cars and uses them to roller skate down the hilly streets of San Francisco. And then there's the recurring gag of two identical, gigantic red buttons in the middle of a secret military compound. One of them releases nuclear weapons while the other dispenses lattes. Naturally, the President is often confused about which one is which.
  
  I have no doubt that the one character audiences will love the most is B.O.B. He seems so delightfully brainless, and you know this is true when he thinks that Susan is a boy because only boys have breasts. There's also his brief romantic triste with a plateful of green Jell-O, who he thinks gave him a fake phone number. You just can't help but laugh every time he appears on screen.
  
  The long and short of it is that "Monsters vs. Aliens" is a thoroughly enjoyable animated film, and while the 3-D process is at times a little too intrusive (as in the beginning, when a man sits at a desk, playing with a paddleball), it ultimately serves the story very well. It certainly holds up better than many recent films presented in 3-D, including the delightful "Coraline." I suspect the satirical sense of humor will be lost on kids, but the physical gags certainly won't. So it seems we have one of those rare cases when a cartoon was made with all audiences in mind. I had a lot of fun watching this movie, and if you're in need of lighthearted comedy with great visual effects, I'm sure you will feel the same way.

• DreamWorks is Getting Better. posted on 31 August 2009

  I am a huge fan of animated films. And since Pixar can't produce every animated film, I also go to Disney films. And since those two studios release only a few films every year, I also go to see DreamWorks animation. DreamWorks animated efforts are getting better, but they still lack the magic Pixar is able to create and the beauty Disney is capable of.
  
  In their newest release, "Monsters Vs. Aliens", the filmmakers blend a series of references to classic sci fi and monster films of the 50s, with the pop culture references that are de rigueur for any animated film today. The result is an enjoyable effort, enhanced by the 3D process it was created for. The key difference between this film and say "Coraline" or "Bolt" is that while the 3D enhances these far better films, it wasn't necessary to enjoy either. In "Monsters Vs. Aliens", the film would seem a little lackluster without the 3D glasses. propped on your nose, making everything seem a little more lifelike.
  
  The story opens at a monitoring station in Antarctica. The bored technicians are hitting a ping-pong ball lazily in the air and at us. Woo. Watch out it might just hit you. This is an amusing signal to us that this film is going to make a lot of references to 3D films from the 50s, when the technology was first introduced to battle the threat of television. There is a similar scene in Vincent Price's "House of Wax" when a barker uses the same technique to get the attention of passerby, hitting the ball directly at us. The key difference between the two films is that the 3D process is so much more convincing now.
  
  Susan Murphy (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) is preparing to marry her fiancée Derek Dietl (Paul Rudd) in their hometown of Modesto when Derek springs the news on Susan that they won't be going to Paris for their honeymoon, Derek needs to go to Fresno for an interview to become the anchor of their nightly news. He is on his way up and she tries to match his enthusiasm. Susan is upset, but she acquiesces and walks out to a gazebo, to think about the wedding, Derek, her life. Unfortunately, this is also the time and place a meteor strikes next to the gazebo. And Susan walks away, glowing. During the ceremony, she grows 50 feet and the Army quickly appears to try to control her. Later, she wakes up in a large containment facility run by General W. R. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland) and she meets the other inhabitants of the program; insectasourus, a large centipede, B.O.B. (Seth Rogen, "Knocked Up", "Pineapple Express"), a big blue blob who seems to like everyone and doesn't seem to care that he has no brains, Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie, TV's "House"), a mad scientist who ran afoul of one of his own experiments and The Missing Link (Will Arnett, "Blades of Glory", TV's "Arrested Development"), a man-sized fish like creature. They quickly come together to fight an Alien invasion led by Galaxhar (Rainn Wilson, TV's "The Office"), who wants to take over the Earth because his planet was just destroyed. The President (Stephen Colbert, TV's "The Colbert Report") tries to talk to Galaxhar's robot emissary, but soon runs in retreat. But General Monger is confident his monsters can fight the aliens, so they head off to battle Galaxhar in the Bay Area.
  
  Directed by Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon (who worked on "Shark Tales" and the "Shrek" films in various capacities) and co-written by Wallace Wolodarsky (one of the early, original writers on "The Simpsons"), "Monsters Vs. Aliens" packs a lot of references to iconic sci fi films of the 50s and some real humor into the neat little story. The animation is also more stylized than we are used to, moving away from the hyper-realized visions filmmakers have been trying to achieve with some recent examples of animation. All of this helps give the film a sweet, good natured background, a slightly nostalgic appeal to match the small town Susan is from.
  
  Reese Witherspoon is good, but she isn't memorable enough or different enough to make the character stand out. When she becomes a fifty foot tall woman, she is christened Ginormica. But this is about the extent of her character becoming a monster or a super hero. Most of the time, we watch as Susan deals with her fiancée Dirk, her mom and dad and her hometown. If this were a drama, bravo. But as it is an animated film, it doesn't feel like her character is taken far enough.
  
  Seth Rogen plays B.O.B., a blue mass of goo who seems to have no brains and just wants to be friends with people. But he also seems to be a little awkward around others; instead of hugging them, he swallows them and has to regurgitate them covered in blue goo.
  
  B.O.B. is extremely funny and so good-natured you almost want to reach up to the screen, grab him in your arms and give him a bear hug. Rogen infects him with his laid back personality and B.O.B. is quick to laugh, and smile. B.O.B. is also an example of an animated character given life by both the animators and the actor providing his voice. Generally, the animators try to match the character to the actor, working hard to ensure the character matches what the actor is doing. Robin Williams still remains the most memorable modern animated character as the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin", Tom Hanks and Tim Allen did great work in both "Toy Story" films, Jeremy Irons was great as Scar in "The Lion King". These are a few examples of the perfect combination of actor to character and material, all of which intersect allowing the actor to create a memorable character, someone who will live on in our minds and subconscious. I don't know if Rogen exactly achieves that with B.O.B., but he comes close. Darn close. Closer than most of the other actors in the cast.
  
  When Bob meets people, he wants to hug them, but he can't and he ends up swallowing them, only to immediately spit them out. Always laughing and smiling, B.O.B. likes to do tricks with his one eye and seems pretty oblivious. When he is scolded by someone, he frowns, but then quickly smiles and starts laughing, much like a child who doesn't completely understand what they have done. Its just fun to watch this character and he makes you laugh.
  
  He also hits on a molded Jello salad at one point, providing a big laugh later.
  
  Hugh Laurie (TV's "House") provides the voice for Dr. Cockroach. He's good, and it's funny to see the mad scientist role played to a certain limit, but this is another example of the character not going far enough. Will Arnett plays The Missing Link, who seems to be the giant Caterpillar's guardian and watchdog. Stephen Colbert has a few funny moments as the President.
  
  But the other stand out in the cast is, surprisingly, Kiefer Sutherland. Sutherland provides the voice for General W. R. Monger, the leader of the Monsters. It's a nice turn, clearly patterned after Slim Picken's performance in "Dr. Strangelove". His voice has that slight Southern twang and is full of bluster and bravado. Flying around in a jet pack, he seems to compensate for his short stature in other ways.
  
  Perhaps the highlight of the film is how many references to classic sci-fi and horror films from the 50s the filmmakers have packed in. For me, the most memorable was the ping pong paddle I mentioned before, but they manage to work in references to or gags about so many films it is a virtual treasure trove for people who loves films from this era. Some films provide a lot of visual jokes and puns ("Dr. Strangelove", ":The Day The Earth Stood Still", "The Blob"), others provide more fleeting moments ("Mothra", "The Fly"). The filmmakers clearly love these films, providing a Valentine to the movies they grew up with.
  
  "Monsters Vs. Aliens" is a very admiral effort and it is worth a look. While it can't reach the heights of a Pixar or Disney films, DreamWorks has their first solid, non "Shrek" hit on their hands.

• Cute and Colorful Entertainment (3-D version) posted on 31 August 2009

  Having run-of-the-mill expectations for this movie, I wasn't really disappointed. We went to the 3-D version with the hope of getting more bang for the buck. 3-D effects were lost on me for much of the film because I simply 'got used' to it.
  
  The storyline and characters, however, were cute and entertaining. I can't complain when the 'moral' of the story is overcoming obstacles/handicaps and learning to love oneself.
  
  Oh, and crushing the threat of Alien domination.
  
  Overall, I thought the movie was likely a good deal more enjoyed by the children in the theater than the adults, which isn't bad. It wasn't knock your socks off, but if you're looking for a fun, light movie to watch with your kids, then Monsters vs. Aliens may be right up your alley.

• MONSTER & SCI-FI BUFFS WILL ENJOY THIS 3-D TREAT! posted on 31 August 2009

  I grew up watching old monster and sci-fi films, so I couldn't wait to see this new animated tale that pays homage to so many of my favorite Saturday afternoon sci-fi films.
  
  While the 3-D effects and animation are fantastic, I found the story to be lacking just a tad. I guess after Pixar's masterpiece Wall E, the bar has been set rather high. Regardless, it's a fun film and a special treat for those of us who grew up watching giant monster movies on the weekend.
  
  I suggest seeing this at the IMAX in 3-D as it is really spectacular, with great voice work done by Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett
  and the hysterical Seth Rogen. It's a very good film, but I wish the story was fleshed out better, the material certainly deserves it.
  
  
  Igor was another film that paid homage to Saturday afternoon fright fare, but that one dealt with gothic horror. Both films are worth seeing, but if they had been treated with the same care as Wall E, we would have two extraordinary films instead of two films that just kind of missed the mark!
  
  I recommend both film to fans of the genre, but they could have been better.
  
  

• Loved It!!! posted on 31 August 2009

  I have 2 boys, 9 and 7 years old. They had been counting down the days until this movie came out in the theaters. They loved it!! I have to admit, it was even better than I thought it would be.

• Mediocre posted on 31 August 2009

  Watchable, but nothing special.
  The animation is excellent, but that's now the standard.
  
  Characters are okay, but again, nothing special.
  Some amuzing moments, but no laugh-out-loud moments.
  Some decent action scences, but nothing edge-of-your-seat.
  There's a lame, tired old "men are jerks - female empowerment" subplot that detracts from the movie. Too bad, would have been a better movie without it.
  For a while now, there's been a trend in live-action scifi and action movies to try to make up for a lack of a good writing/acting with flashy CG special effects.
  
  Now it seems studios are trying to do the same with animated features by making them 3D.
  
  

• Kid movie, with pop culture references for adults. posted on 31 August 2009

  The movie started out pretty good. However, nothing ever got deep enough with the character development. Again, this is a kids movie and obviously was meant for kids, can't expect something really deep. I payed extra for a 3-D experience, but I still felt they didn't utilize the 3-D aspect to it's full potential. I'd sit there almost begging for more things to pop out of the screen, but rarely anything would happen. At the very least, adults will enjoy the pop culture references that almost every single child would not understand...I mean, how else would they keep the adults in the theater? The movie has good animation, but the storyline just seemed very mediocre to me.

• You've come a long way, baby! posted on 31 August 2009

  Susan (v. by Reese Witherspoon) is about to embark on her dream life. She's marrying Derek (v. by Paul Rudd) and they're going to Paris on their honeymoon. Then, Derek's going to get that news anchor job and they're moving someplace big!
  
  
  Next thing she knows, the honeymoon's off. Derek's got an interview in Fresno. She steps outside for a breath of fresh air and is struck by a meteor. Men in black and other types swarm the rock and take it away before she can even remember what happened.
  
  
  She's just about to say her vows when she starts growing. Susan just barely outgrows the church when she's snatched by General W. R. Monger (v. by Kiefer Sutherland) and taken to a top secret government facility along with a group of other monsters.
  
  
  They're all pretty certain they're going to rot there when an octopedal alien Gallaxhar (v. by Rainn Wilson) tries to take over the Earth for a substance that's on the meteoroid that hit Susan.
  
  
  Susan and Crew must work to save the Earth from Gallaxhar and his mad army of eight legged clones. In the process, she learns a lot about herself and what her life would really be like wed to Derek.
  
  
  "Monsters v. Aliens" is not just a kid's film. We've got references to every bad sci fi flick from "Space Balls" to "The Day the Earth Stood Still" floating around. The story's well done and worth watching for children of all ages.
  
  
  Rebecca Kyle, April 2009

• Hilarious...if you're a monster movie fan posted on 31 August 2009

  Monsters vs. Aliens is an entertaining wrestling match for young children, an ironic take on society for older adults, and a delicious homage to 1950s science fiction movies for geeky parents.
  
  
  Monsters vs. Aliens is one of those movies that's pretty explicit about what you get: a fight involving two critters that sometimes blur together. The thing is, while an alien could be classified as a monster, a monster can't always be classified as an alien. Although these monsters are, well, monsters, they're OUR MONSTERS, good old American-bred monstrosities created from science and evolution gone awry: Insectosaurus (Mothra), Dr. Cockroach (a riff on The Fly voiced by Hugh Laurie), BOB (Attack of the Killer Tomatoes + The Blob voiced by Seth Rogen), The Missing Link (The Creature from the Black Lagoon voiced by Will Arnett), and of course Ginormica (Attack of the 50-foot Woman voiced by Reese Witherspoon). The origins of these science fiction creations were completely lost on the audience in the theater I went to.
  
  The story revolves around Susan Murphy's transformation into Ginormica on her wedding day. It's a thrilling tale of female empowerment - literally, as Susan transforms into an enormously powerful giantess - that seems more appropriate to a 1950s setting. After her transformation Ginormica becomes a pawn of the government, working for a secret agency dedicated to defeating supernatural threats. In other words: Hellboy and the BPRD. When a giant robot (sent by aliens, natch) shows up to destroy the Earth, it's up to this completely untrained and clueless team of monsters to save the world.
  
  The movie is rife with in-jokes about classic science fiction movies, the current state of the U.S. government, and the complexities of global conquest that movies tend to gloss over (how does an alien overlord tell his clones apart?). The action comes fast and furious and in three-dimensions, the violence is definitely not for kids, and at various points things blow up. Although this is something of an action comedy, Monsters vs. Aliens plays for keeps.
  
  The characters' lip-synching seemed off, but that might have been the theater I was in. Some of the characters were underdeveloped: BOB is a laugh-machine, but Link and Cockroach have little to do, especially in light of Ginormica's powers. And everyone conveniently ignores the fact that there's a bigger-than-even-Ginormica Insectosaurus wandering the countryside...but to go down that path is to question the basic premise of the movie.
  
  Monsters vs. Aliens is a real treat for monster movie fans. For everyone else, it's a serviceable 3-D roller coaster ride. The kids in the audience (and it was almost all kids and parents) weren't bored, but they weren't laughing as much as my wife and I.

• Destroy all Monsters! posted on 31 August 2009

  Filled with hommage and fluff, Dreamworks' "Monsters Vs Aliens" is lightweight kiddie fun but runs thin on substance. This is basically an extended Saturday Morning Comic stretched to 90 minutes. What is now standard for this kind of fare, pop culture jokes are jammed in to keep the parents (or in my case, Uncle) chuckling at the cleverness while funny voices, kinetic action and butt jokes amuse the tykes. In fact, the pop cultured among us will spot "Close Encounters," Independence Day," "Mothra" and "Bevererly Hills Cop" cobbled into bits throughout "Monsters Vs Aliens."
  
  
  Cleverness does not a movie make, and while my five year old charge was laughing and clapping, I was losing interest by the time Gallaxhar (Rainn Wilson, in an unecessary bit of stunt casting) started forming his clone army. I appreciate that Susan/Ginormica was a powerful female who took no crap from her self-absorbed boyfriend and Keifer Sutherland (as General W.R.Monger) took the vinegar out of his Jack Bauer roles, but "Monsters Vs Aliens" is an unimaginative film fobbed of as Family Entertainment. You can definetly wait for this on DVD.