Kids' movies have gotten far too tame. Even the best in modern family entertainment feels as though it's been written, screened and edited by committee to ensure that not a single frame of scary or objectionable material remains. Kids' films feel like they're derived from the imaginations of overly protective parents when they should come from the daydreams—or, to some extent, the nightmares—of adventurous youngsters. That's why Monster House is so much fun.
Its three preadolescent, cartoon stars handle dynamite, operate heavy machinery and even steal drugs from a pharmacy (but virtuously, in order to sedate evil forces). Clearly, there were no committees to stand in the way of these plot points. It harkens back to the '80s, when a comedic sequence involving a boy and his extraterrestrial friend getting drunk couldn't keep a movie from topping the box office.
There are already some voicing their concerns that this film is too scary. Indeed, this story of a decrepit old house coming to life to eat stray kites and basketballs, as well as the children who dare to retrieve them, has its share of thrills, but it's nothing an average 8-year-old can't handle. The cast is too upbeat and likable to let things get too frightening. They were brought to life using the same motion-capture animation technique used in The Polar Express. Fortunately, the technology's improved, giving Monster House's heroes much better facial articulation. The lifeless faces in Polar Express were far scarier than anything in this film.
The flick barely takes advantage of the boundless freedom of animation for the first 45 minutes, instead building a realistic world with realistic suspense. Thus, when the house finally cuts loose, it's visually astonishing. Unfortunately, the second half of the film rushes too quickly to climax. I would've put out the welcome mat for a little more exploration of the creaky abode and a bit more of its back story. Nevertheless, Monster House is an effective, old-fashioned, campfire ghost story—with a few million dollars of special effects thrown in.