Film Reviews

Monsters Vs. Aliens

• Rating:
• Director: Rob Letterman
• Starring: Hugh Laurie
• Details: US / 94mins (PG).

"UFOs have landed in America... the only country UFOs ever seem to land in!" This knowing family sci-fi comedy will entertain adults and kids alike. On her wedding day, a meteorite crashes into Susan (Witherspoon), turning her into a 50-foot women, and before she has a chance to contemplate a larger dress size, she's whisked away by the army to a secret underground compound. Here she meets other monsters - sea creature Link (Arnett); half-man, half-cockroach Dr. Cockroach (Laurie); the blob B.O.B (Rogan); and Insectosaurus, a massive insect - who have been kept here in secret for years. However, when aliens - headed up by the evil Gallaxhar (Rainn Wilson) - invade the planet, the monsters are called upon by General Monger (Kiefer Sutherland) to save the world.

With many nods and winks to sci-fi movies - The Blob, Close Encounters Of the Third Kind, Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman, Men In Black amongst others - and with Stephen Colbert playing a cowardly president, there's enough here to entertain the adults. For the kids, there's enough wackiness (Rogan's silly B.O.B is a hoot) and action to keep them amused. One disappointing factor is that this comedy doesn't explore the mountain of gags at its disposal and a little more effort in the story telling wouldn't have gone astray.

Review by Gavin Burke