Blu-ray Review: Monsters, Inc. (4-Disc)

To coincide with the home video release of Up, Disney and Pixar have also given Pete Docter’s other feature-length directorial effort, Monsters, Inc., its first high-definition treatment with a four-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo set.

Monsters, Inc. tells the story of the monsters who come out of the bedroom closet to scare children at night. At it turns out, the monsters are more scared of the children than the other way around. But a job’s a job for Sulley (John Goodman) and his sidekick Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal), who harvest screams as a form of fuel in Monstropolis. And business is good for the duo until the evil Randall (Steve Buscemi) is within contention of the office scare record. He leaves a closet door portal on the floor, and a child escapes into Monstropolis and finds herself in the care of Sulley and Mike.

As is par for the course with Pixar, Monsters, Inc. is packed full of dynamic animation with vibrant characters and an important message, in this case that laughter is stronger than fear. It isn’t quite as rich as some of Pixar’s flagship features. The dialogue lacks a bit of punch, despite solid performances by the core cast. But Monsters, Inc. is still packed with plenty of humor, and still stands leaps and bounds above what most studios accomplish in the animated realm, with that classic Pixar appeal for both adults and children.

The high-definition video goes a long way in accenting the bright monster colors, and brings every strand of fur on the beasts to life. The surround soundtrack provides an incredible mix, making sure the voices always stand out above all, but using all of the channels well in surrounding the viewer with the sound of the action. Monsters, Inc. fans with the hi-def capabilities will want the new set for its visual and audio upgrades alone, and definitely get what they pay for in this respect.

The special features in this set are so abundant that they practically feel endless. Aside from the usual director commentary, the first disc is rounded out by a feature on the Monsters Inc. ride at Tokyo Disneyland and a round table with the filmmakers, as well as the Academy Award winning “For the Birds” short and “Mike’s New Car” short. The bulk of the bonus material, however, is found on the second Blu-ray disc included in the set.

The “100 Door Challenge Game” serves as an application for gamers to Monsters, Inc. Players answer trivia questions and get tested in a number of different ways. Gamers are allowed three wrong answers before the game ends. Depending on the correct answers, players are offered various jobs at Monsters, Inc., which can either be turned down (for a replay) or accepted (to move onto other things). The disc also features a tour of Pixar, which is enlightening. Then there are art galleries that seem to go on forever (and are all re-scanned in hi-def this time around), and multiple featurettes on almost every aspect of animated filmmaking of which one can think. The materials aren’t quite as insightful as with other Pixar releases, but Monsters, Inc. does its best to make up for that with sheer quantity. There is so much content packed onto these disks! And just when viewers think they’ve seen it all, Pixar has packed in several Easter eggs with a load more bonus material.

Much like Monsters, Inc.’s role within the Pixar catalog, the Blu-ray release isn’t quite the crème de la crème of home video releases, but it offers more than enough to satisfy any fan of animation with a heart and sense of humor.

Special Features
-The Monsters, Inc. Blu-ray disc is presented in 1080p high definition 1.85:1 aspect ratio video; English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital audio; with English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles
-Special features on the Blu-ray discs are presented in 1080p high definition; English, French and Spanish 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital audio; with English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles
-Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan – Go behind the scenes of the new attraction in Tokyo Disneyland
-Filmmaker’s Round Table – Filmmakers reflect on the creation of the film
-Audio Commentary
-For the Birds Short – Academy Award Winner – Best Animated Short Film
-Mike’s New Car – Academy Award Nominated – Best Animated Short Film
-All-New Roz’s 100-Door Challenge Game
-Pixar Fun Factory Tour
-Banished Concepts
-DVD with feature film and original DVD bonus features
-Digital copy

About the Writer:
Bill Jones is editor-in-chief of padsandpanels.com, a site dedicated to coverage of comics and games.