In this prequel to Monsters Inc, the two familiar monsters are back and compete with each other until they get expelled. They then try to make things right
In a world full of terrifying monsters, Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal) has dreamt of studying Scaring since he was little. Confident and hardworking, he believes that as long as one works hard, the sky’s the limit. But he is a cute little monster, so he compensates for it with knowledge and bravado.
Once he sets foot in the prestigious Monsters University, he is raring to go but his journey becomes more complicated than he thought.
Unhealthy rivalry
James P Sullivan, or Sulley (voiced by John Goodman), returns as a talented, arrogant and athletic scarer who is a bit of a show-off – not quite the big teddy bear of a monster from the previous instalment. As a natural scarer, he expects to effortlessly succeed in college.
His lackadaisical nature gets under Mike’s lime-green skin, whereas Mike’s excelling through sheer hard work makes him the first monster that made Sulley doubt his abilities.
Their competition brews all semester and culminates in spectacular fashion witnessed by Dean Hardscrabble, their awe-inspiring head of the school. She has 30 legs, spectacular wings, and a wealth of experience.
Out of control, the pair gets kicked out of Monsters University’s elite Scare Programme, and they have to work together to fix the situation.
Cue the Misfits
Their partnership leads them to a group of misfits, also Scare Programme rejects, who want to prove to Dean Hardscrabble that they belong in the Programme.
This bunch of oddballs have to work together if they hope to make things right.
From Personal Experience
Director Dan Scanlon drew from his experience in art college.
“All of that awkward self-discovery really appealed to me for this story and contributed to the emotional and dramatic implications of this film,” he says.
This prequel is an emotional story that is relatable, provides big laughs, has fun characters, and pushes the drama far enough to challenge how the audience feels about the characters.
Monsters University [PG]
Director: Dan Scanlon
Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren, and Alfred Molina
Genre: Comedy, Animation
Run Time: 111 min
Release: 21 Jun
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