Remember when you were a kid and there was always a house that you avoided? It could have been home to a Boo Radley-esque individual that meant no harm, but had a frightening appearance or demeanor. Or maybe the place just looked run-down. Or there were drug dealers living there. Or you just hated the kid who lived there. Now, something may have caused you to change your opinion of the house later on, but you still remember the place and why you avoided it, right?
This film is about just such a house. And unfortunately for DJ, he lives right across the street from it, and he avoids going to the house at all cost. However, this doesn’t prevent him from chronicling its owner’s history of taking and/or breaking the toys of any child who sets foot on his property (and there’s definitely something fishy about the house itself). The owner is known as Mr. Nebbercracker, a cantankerous fellow if ever there was one (or so we’re meant to think). When an incident with DJ sends Mr. Nebbercracker to the hospital, DJ, his buddy Chowder, and their new acquaintance Jenny take it upon themselves to destroy the house before hordes of innocent trick-or-treaters get devoured by it.
First off, I have to talk about the animation. The characters were all animated using motion-capture suits (Like Andy Serkis used in “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy). As a result, their movements appear totally natural. There’s a definite fluidity to their actions that many other computer-animated films lack. It’s not like you ever forget that you’re watching a cartoon, but the way that everyone moves gives “Monster House” a much more solid feel. Not only do their bodily movements have a realistic quality to them, but their facial expressions do as well. That the animators were able to convey some amazingly intricate facial movements only added more to their ability to tell this tale. Honestly, my hat goes off to the animators on this one, they totally hit it out of the park.
As for the story itself, it’s excellent. The spectacle of the animation and effects in no way overshadows the quality of the writing. The characters’ relationships develop at a natural pace and nothing feels forced or rushed. And, although the comedy is truly hilarious, and there are times of great hilarity, this is definitely a horror film. There are spooky elements and dark events that occur during the course of the film. Granted, “Monster House” doesn’t feature blood-splattering gore or gruesome deaths (after all, it is a family film), but it is a dark tale of the supernatural… just geared for everyone ages 7 and up.
For me, the most appealing part of the plot was what they didn’t do. They didn’t treat the audience like idiots and dumb anything down. They didn’t rely on bodily functions for humor. They didn’t go for some cheesy Scooby-Doo style ending (You mean old man Withers was the swamp creature?). The characters were intelligent and the filmmakers treated the audience like intelligent people who could follow the plot of the story.
They also didn’t let the film get sappy (which is a difficult thing to accomplish). There were some genuinely touching moments in the film, and the easy thing would have been for the filmmakers to ham it up and overdo the scenes (which would have ended up feeling fake and causing the audience to roll their eyes). Instead, they almost underplay the moments and as a result, the tender moments feel truly real.
I would love to be able to point out a flaw in the film, but I can’t. “Monster House” is one of the most satisfying films of the summer, if not the year. It completely entertained me in every way that a film should. Director Gil Kenan did a truly stellar job and I hope to see a lot more great (animated) films from him. I will absolutely buy this movie when it comes out on DVD (which, knowing the studios, will most likely be around Halloween 2006). It’s easily one of the best films of the year. But don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself. It’s worth it.
