As with many of the sequels that are coming out these days, Monster’s University is rewinding it all the way back to the beginning. It has been a long 12 years since Monster’s Inc. hit the theaters, and now we get to see just how Mike & Sully became such good friends. Like many lifelong buddies, this scary pair met in college but more specifically, at Monster’s University.
Mike and Sully couldn’t be any more different than they are. Sully finds being a scarer to come quite naturally while Mike finds himself trying a little too hard and failing a little to often. Sully is simply following in the footsteps of his father, who happened to be one of the most talented scarers in Monstropolis, while Mike is the first in his family with the desire to become the best scarer that he can be. It’s actually amazing that they ever became friends at all.
The story behind their friendship, however, really does make sense. Mike & Sully both arrived at Monster’s University at the same time. They both wanted nothing more than to become scare majors. The difference was that Mike & Sully had completely opposite strengths, which is exactly what would bring them so close together in the end.
You see, Mike was the brains while Sully was the brawn. Mike soared academically at Monster’s University and Sully soared as a natural born scarer from day one. The problem was obvious in that Mike couldn’t scare a fly and Sully couldn’t gain any ground with the academics. This was a problem that caught up with the pair all too quickly as Dean Hardscrabble dropped the hammer on both Mike and Sully leaving them both searching for new majors.
The one thing that both Mike and Sully did have in common was determination, and they were both determined to get back on track as soon as possible. And then came the Scare Games, a winter competition between rival fraternities and sororities at Monster’s University. It was a competition that required teams to use each of the skills that would be required of any scarer graduating from the university. The only problem was that Mike and Sully needed to join a fraternity fast.
Needless to say, the pair get lucky and are able to join the Oozma Kappa Fraternity. They are also able to convince Dean Hardscrabble to let them back into the program if their fraternity wins. The only downside is that losing would mean the ‘boot’ for everyone in Oozma Kappa. It is a battle that is going to take both brain and brawn, something that this wacky fraternity has an equal amount of, which is what saves each of them in the end.
Positive Element
Behind all of the scare is actually a very positive lesson to be learned. While we all have weaknesses in one area or another, it is friendships that make us stronger. For Mike and Sully, this is a reality that they learn to live with on a daily basis. Mike Wazowski is quite the genius, and it is his smarts that brings Oozma Kappa to the point of victory, but not before bringing him to the realization that he needs much more than brains if he is going to succeed. Sully, on the other hand, has everything that it takes, physically, to become the best scarer alive, but he learns all too quickly that without brains, brawn is nothing.
The pair learn that individually they are flawed, but together they are unstoppable. This is a lesson that many would be much better off learning today.
Sexual Element
There is a very brief kiss that is shared between an engaged Ms. Squibbles and Don, while Don sarcastically comments on Squishy’s brother marrying his mother. Mike and Sully share an embarrassing moment while sleeping. Sully’s arm lands on Mike’s face and Mike begins kissing it because he is in the middle of a dream about a princess and a stable boy.
Violent Element
Mike and Sully must go through a fraternity initiation ceremony that involves them being spanked with a wooden paddle. Then there are the frequent frightening moments between human children and scarers on the job. There are also quite a few scenes that involve humorous violence (at least that is what it is made out to be). Hits, bumps and slaps are found throughout the movie.
Drug and Alcohol Element
There are mere insinuations to the fact. A party shows students holding red cups in their hands which could easily be taken as cups of beer. Loud music, dancing and sleeping students who look to be drunk during one scene.
Conclusion
Monster’s University is another Pixar materpiece but with mixed reviews. While it does bring up a very good point about the importance of friendships, it also portrays the college party scene in a disturbing, yet up close and personal, way. A college frat party where everyone has a red plastic cup in hand while listening to loud party music. Really? Now how many parents aren’t led to believe that those red plastic cups are filled with alcohol? And if parents get that impression, how many children are possibly wondering the very same thing?
Then there is the hazings, the frat initiations and the plain old super-scary moments with children in their bedrooms and the scarers terrifying them. These can all be quite disturbing to youngsters frequenting this movie in particular.
On the other hand, there is the very distinct importance of friendship portrayed in Monster’s University. Mike and Sully share a very special kind of friendship. In fact, their friendship is the kind that makes them better individuals because of it. It is an important lesson that many would be much better off learning on a personal level today. It is something that we need even at a very young age.
Monster’s University is unmistakably a Pixar masterpiece, however, it is one that will be left to parents to decide on for their own individual families.
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About Paul B. Murray
Paul is founder of Southern Outdoor Cinema, an outdoor cinema event production company based in Atlanta and a dad to 2 pre-teen girls. When he is is not traveling to create outdoor movie nights for communities, he is spending time playing board games, reading books and of course watching movies with his girls.
