A Nostalgic Blast from the Sci-Fi Past
In 2009, DreamWorks brought us the animated sci-fi film Monsters vs. Aliens which delivered monsters, an evil alien and plenty of B-movie cheer for all sci-fi fans. But while some DreamWorks movies such as Shrek and Kung Fu Panda have gone on to become mega-franchises, Monsters vs. Aliens didn’t get the same treatment. Why? Who knows! Maybe Earth wasn’t ready for a 50-foot woman, leading a group of government captured creatures, against an alien overlord. Today we are going to give this under-appreciated gem the recognition it deserves – check out its legacy, its best moments, and even a little something about real life alien abductions.
After all, wouldn’t Gallaxhar love an Alien Abduction Lamp ?)
Plot Recap: Chaos, monsters, and of course, aliens
The movie begins with Susan Murphy (voiced by Reese Witherspoon) a bride to be who is struck by a mysterious meteor on her wedding day. Instead of bad luck, she gets something rather more unhelpful – she grows to 50 feet tall, gets super strength and is caught by the government.
Locked away in a top-secret facility, she meets her new monstrous teammates:
• B.O.B. – A blue blob who is rather silly and can’t speak.
• Dr. Cockroach – A mad scientist who just so happens to turn partially into a cockroach.
• The Missing Link – A monster from the black lagoon with a lot of attitude.
• Insectosaurus: A bug, as big as a skyscraper, with a heart of gold (and a love for bright lights).
But they’re not just locked up for fun—when a massive alien robot comes to Earth, the government lets the monsters out to fight Gallaxhar. Soon, they discover that the invasion is led by an alien overlord called Gallaxhar who wants Susan’s meteor-given powers for himself. Then comes an action filled battle for the future of the planet!
Meet the Aliens: The plans for invasion by Gallaxhar
Gallaxhar is a typical sci-fi villain: he’s arrogant, over the top, and has grand designs on taking over the world. His army comprises of countless clone soldiers, as well as other alien tech such as his ship which hangs over Earth like a UFO.
But here’s a thought—why go through all the trouble of cloning an army when you could just abduct people and experiment on them? Real life alien abduction stories (from Nome, Alaska) show that mysterious disappearances have long been associated with extraterrestrial activity. If Gallaxhar had an Alien Abduction Lamp he could have saved a lot of time for himself! With just a flip of a switch, and there are your test subjects of the day, without having to clone them.
It might be a good job he didn’t come up with that idea.
Why did Monsters vs. Aliens not get a sequel?
The film got generally positive reviews and had a dedicated fan base but it didn’t get a sequel. DreamWorks said that the film’s marketing did not do as well as it was expected to and even though it generated some short films and a TV series, it never achieved the level of Shrek or Madagascar.
But maybe it’s time for a comeback! With the current obsession with multiverses and the trend of nostalgia driven reboots, Monsters vs. Aliens could make a comeback for the second installment. Imagine an intergalactic war where more classic monsters and aliens are also in the fight.
(And if DreamWorks is looking for a new invasion tactic, I think throwing in an Alien Abduction Lamp would be a great idea).
Final Thoughts: Should You Rewatch It?
Yes. If you haven’t watched Monsters vs. Aliens for a while now, it’s time to watch it again. It’s fun, it’s fast, and it’s full of all that is good in sci-fi. Also, where else are you going to get a team of a giant woman, a talking cockroach and a gelatinous blob?
So get some popcorn, start the movie and let the monsters vs the aliens war start.
And if you ever feel like some alien overlord is staring at you… well, maybe it’s just your Alien Abduction Lamp making those creepy shadows on the wall.
And if you’re in the mood to watch some more alien movies check out some of our other blogs for ideas:
Alien vs. Predator: The Ultimate Sci-Fi Grudge Match
Independence Day (ID4): Fireworks, Viruses, and Deep-Space Slander
The sci-fi face-off you forgot you loved: Monsters vs Aliens
Best Spaceship Movies: A Cinematic Odyssey Through the Solar System
Film Independence Day Resurgence — A Larger Ship, A Stupid Plot, and One Very Bright Cow
Alien: Romulus — Atmosphere, Tension, and Interstellar Terror