Monsters vs Aliens [Blu-ray]

Having just bought Coraline 3D for my daughter, I thought we'd have another entertaining 3D night in with this movie. Unfortunately, I was fooled by the strap line "With free 3D glasses" into thinking the movie was in 3D. It isn't, it is only an extra that is in 3D. Ok, I should have read the small print, but even so, I think, to the casual buyer, it is a bit misleading. After getting over the initial disappointment, we thoroughly enjoyed the movie itself and if it had been advertised as 2D more prominently, I would have given it four-plus stars. It's funny, you can sit and watch it with your child and you will both enjoy it.

While this is probably not the best DreamWorks film ever (that's probably Shrek 2) it is better than most family films. It's just as good the second time around (although I suspect it would start to wear thin on the third viewing).

However, I have a problem with the way this 2-disc pack is being advertised. I bought something called "Monsters vs Aliens (2-Disc with free 3D glasses) Special Edition", which to me sounded like I was buying a film in 3D. What I actually got was the feature in 2D only, with a second bonus disc with an 11-minute short called B.O.B.'s Big Break, which is in both 2D and 3D.

It doesn't appear that Monsters vs Aliens is being released in a 3D version on DVD. The "extra" disk is light on content (just the short film plus a paddle game in 3D and a not-very-fun karaoke singalong in 2D), and really isn't worth paying extra for. I would recommend that if you want this entertaining family film, you buy the single-disc version (Monsters vs Aliens (1-Disc) [DVD] [2009]) instead.

A CGI cartoon movie that is both a spoof of and an affectionate homage to B-picture monster movies from the 1950's.

Susan is just an ordinary lady, and she is about to marry Derek, an upwardly mobile tv presenter. But on her wedding day a meteor strike turns her hair white and makes her very very tall indeed.

Captured by the military and rechristened Ginormica, she finds herself in a holding facility with other monsters rounded up by the army over the years. Mad scientist and human mind in indestructible body Dr. Cockroach, gelatinous blob B.O.B. and creature from the black lagoon style monster link. Plus the giant insect insectasaurus.

Seemingly destined to be locked away for the rest of her life and to never get things back to the way they were, her life is changed forever when the owners of the meteor come looking for it. Who can save the human race from alien attack? The monsters can.

Adopting an interestingly angular style of animation this takes a few minutes to get used to, and then there's a fair bit of exposition and character introduction to get through first. But suddenly about twenty minutes in, when all that is out of the way and the first of several very well executed and designed action sequences takes place, this becomes very watchable indeed. Now that you're used to the characters all the humour - which comes out of character interaction and behaviour rather than random gags - becomes very funny and the pace of it never lets us up. Added to which there's a fairly decent story which provides a good amount of eye catching spectacle along the way.

The obvious 'just be yourself' message is fine, and it's never hammered home. Once you get into this it becomes a thoroughly entertaining romp.

And keep watching during the end credits for one extra scene.

This is the single disc dvd edition.

Languages and subtitles are as follows:

Languages: English.

Subtitles: English.

Extras are:

Modern monster movie making: a seventeen minute long making of feature with shots of the production and interviews with cast and crew. An entertaining watch and some interesting technical stuff about 3D in there. Along with some very brief flashing images so epileptics be careful.

The tech of monsters vs aliens: a seven minute long feature about the computers and computer programmes used in the animation. Which praises them so much it could be seen as blatant product placement, no matter how worthy the sentiments.

Three deleted scenes that run for five minutes all in all, and can be watched all in a row or one at a time. The first two are storyboards only and not animated but the last one is, although they all have a finished soundtrack. The first does fill in one minor plot detail that wasn't in the final cut of the film, and the other two are pretty good.

A commentary from the filmmakers.

Dreamworks animation video jukebox: songs from other movies from the production company that can be watched in a row or all together.

And on the main menu of the disc moving the down key on the dvd remote control will bring the cursor atop a part of the screen that says DO NOT PRESS and light up a new icon. Clicking on that will play a small batch of trailers. All of which are by now a bit out of date.

Good film. Good dvd.