Review: 'Monsters University' scores an A-

MANILA, Philippines - Considering the success that “Monsters, Inc.” enjoyed in 2001, it’s surprising how it took Pixar Animation more than a decade to come up with a follow-up to the film starring two monsters who work in a factory that scares children around the world.

To be honest, where do you go from there? Do you tell the story of them finding a kid who can’t be scared no matter what? Do you make Sulley lose his teeth and then have Mike Wazowski grow another eye? Pixar Animation found its answer by doing its first prequel and telling the story of exactly how James P. Sullivan and Mike formed such powerful friendship in “Monsters University.”

Mike has never been scary, that’s a given. But his determination and by-the-books attitude has to account for something, right? And compared to Sulley who seemingly has everything to be top scarer—minus the determination—what could the two possibly have in common?

More than they thought, apparently after they’re forced to work together to prove to Dean Hardscrabble (Helen Mirren) that they belong in “Monsters University” by winning the Scare Games.

Mike helps his group to believe in themselves in a zeroes-to-heroes sort of thing, which works as they make it all the way the final round. But whether it’s enough, it’s all up to Mike who finds inspiration and help from the unlikely Sulley.

Visually, you can’t really find any fault in Pixar’s films so that’s an added treat. The story has its values, of course, but not necessarily in the same high level of “Up” or “Toy Story 3” but at least it's slightly better than "Cars 2". Or perhaps I was just moved even more by the short film that preceded “Monsters University”, which is “The Blue Umbrella”, a six-minute animation that is, once again, visually stimulating and just as romantic as the Academy Award-winning “Paperman” from Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Personally, the “Monsters” films are good in that it gives a different take on how evil is perceived by many. Here, the monsters are the protagonists and are shown to be just as scared of humans. They only scare because they need the scream energy for their world to survive. I just missed out on the part where they explain how they deal with the children in case they develop a constant fear or paranoia of the dark. But in this prequel, one scene actually shows the children seemingly having developed a certain case of curiosity and even acceptance upon seeing the one-eyed Mike for the first time.

It’s difficult to rate voice by actors in animated films but I really can’t imagine Mike Wazowski with any other voice than that of Billy Crystal’s. The same can be said about the gruff and imposing, yet caring voice of John Goodman’s Sulley.

There weren’t any memorable puns but memorable characters at least in Mike and Sulley’s fraternity group Oozma Kappa (they’re OK), including Squishywho can pass as an alternate version of Russel from “Up”.

“Monsters University” opens across Philippine theatres tomorrow and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.