Surprised By Monsters

I have never done a movie review before, but today's fun family activity took me by surprise.  Monsters Inc. has been a family favorite since it was released in 2001. "Boo" was one of our oldest's first words. We were excited to finally see Disney/Pixar's prequal, Monsters University, this afternoon.

It was what I have come to expect from a Pixar movie - fun, well done and positive. What surprised me were the messages contained in Monsters University - because they fly in the face of just about every other family movie, especially Disney movies.

I have come to expect children's movies to contain characters who defy authority only to have them justified by the results.  Frequently our children are given the message that it is ok to do whatever they want, as long as the results are good. Heroes in everything from Curious George to Harry Potter do not need to be held responsible for their "bad" behavior if everything turns out ok in the end. The end justifies the means. As a Christian, I have a very hard time with that message. God gives us very clear boundaries of "right" and "wrong" and though He always uses our "wrong" to His glory and our benefit, there are still consequences to wrong decisions and breaking His laws. Even if our intentions are good, they do not justify sin.

The second message contained in most family movies is "you can do anything if you put your mind to it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise". While it sounds like a noble concept to instill in children, but it is an outright lie. We all have limits and weaknesses, and sometimes they are ones that we cannot change. No matter how much she studies, practices, fights or dreams about playing football for the Bears, my petite gentle daughter is not going to be able to do it! (Not that she'd want to, but I think you get the idea.)  I don't want my children following their dreams, I want them discovering God's plan, His dream, His design for their life and making His their own.  I want them to pursue, study, practice, and fight to be who He has created them to be, not necessarily what they want to be. What they want to be may not be what they were created to do.

This is why Monsters University surprised me so much.  I will try to explain without giving any spoilers! There is a very clear message of design.  Mike begins dreaming of his work at Monsters Inc. during an elementary class field trip to the plant. He studies, works, graduates and finally arrives at Monsters U to master his chosen field. Sully arrives at the school assuming he will excel simply because of his family background and natural talent. During the course of the film, both characters learn that sometimes your dream is not your design and it takes more than a dream, talent, hard work and education. While all those are included in their eventual arrival at Monsters Inc, it does not happen in the way either character expects.  Both characters learn to accept who they were created to be, that nothing can be taken for granted, and sometimes in life the road we want to follow is not the best one for us.

The second message that surprised me was one of consequences. Mike and Sully make some very poor decisions through out the movie. They are prideful, mean and selfish. They use each other, and friends, for their own purposes. They directly defy school rules and the authority of the school dean - but - they don't get away with it! Pride leaven them sad and alone. Arrogance causes them to be publicly humiliated. Defying authority, changes the entire course of their lives, putting them into  humble positions  having to work harder and prove themselves more than they would had if they hadn't.  They accept the consequences of their actions by taking full responsibility, asking for and offering forgiveness, and humbly submitting to authority. While the school dean is portrayed as being mean and heartless through most of the movie, she has a change of heart toward the end.

Obviously Sully and Mike end up achieving a lot in their fictional lives. This is a prequel, so unless you have yet to see the first movie, you know where they end up. How they get there, and the messages they teach, make this movie worthwhile seeing. It will probably end up in our video library once it is released on DVD.


(Side note)
There are some dark and intense moments during the climax of the film that had my younger ones stressed, but they do not last long and end with some comic relief.