If I have one compliant about this movie, it is the misleading title, specifically the use of the word "monster". Right at the beginning, voice-over narration spares no pain in making the point that members of this other race, regardless of how strange they may look, are in every way human's equal. Just like humans, there are good guys and bad guy, and that is all there is to it. And yet, using the word "monster" to denote them completely sabotages the all-too-obvious subtext of racial harmony. Why can't a special, neutral-sounding name be invented? Laziness? The guess I would venture is marketing considerations.
Despite the big opening about conspiracy and power conflict at high places in the monster's realm, the plot line surprisingly oozes domesticity. There is no colossal clash of two kingdoms/races as you might be led to expect at the beginning. This is how it works. The obviously pregnant queen in the monster kingdom finds herself on the losing side of a power struggle and escapes into the forbidden human kingdom, hotly pursued by her enemies from back home. We never see the monster kingdom again as the story takes on a culinary flavor. A monster baby of royal lineage, you see, is considered by humans to be multi-star Michelin fare.
While there is no lacking in Asian movie stars, many in various degrees of cameos (including lovely TANG Wei), the story is essentially about a guy and a girl who kind of adopt the new born royal monster Bupa (name given only at the end of the movie). The girl is actually a professional bounty monster-hunter with a profit motive. Eventually, they end up saving him from the fate of being the ultimate highlight of a lavish "monster feast". The little twist is that Bupa is physically born by the innocent nerdish guy, having been implanted into him by the dying pregnant monster mother. The girl eventually gets emotionally attached to the guy and the monster baby, in that order.
The two leads beautifully deliver their scenes with both outlandish tomfoolery and subtle nuances. BAI Baihe, arguably China's current princess of rom-com, is in equal measures coquettish and cocky, a sheer delight. JING Boran is about the most lovable nerd you can find today for any Asian cast.
There are exciting action sequences aplenty, offered up by a pageantry of celebrity stars, with superbly delivered animation blending so seamlessly that sometimes you totally forget that you are watching animation.
While not a major part of the movie, the background music contributes. In particular, the songs, whether a tender love duet, an uplifting spirit-raiser or outright comedy, are pitch-perfect (no pun intended), enhancing the moods of the movie at just the right moments. There is a good reason for this success: they came from the pens of a pair that can deservedly be called Hong Kong's Lerner and Lowe (or Rodgers and Hammerstein, if you prefer), Leon Ko and Chris Shum.
Despite the big opening about conspiracy and power conflict at high places in the monster's realm, the plot line surprisingly oozes domesticity. There is no colossal clash of two kingdoms/races as you might be led to expect at the beginning. This is how it works. The obviously pregnant queen in the monster kingdom finds herself on the losing side of a power struggle and escapes into the forbidden human kingdom, hotly pursued by her enemies from back home. We never see the monster kingdom again as the story takes on a culinary flavor. A monster baby of royal lineage, you see, is considered by humans to be multi-star Michelin fare.
While there is no lacking in Asian movie stars, many in various degrees of cameos (including lovely TANG Wei), the story is essentially about a guy and a girl who kind of adopt the new born royal monster Bupa (name given only at the end of the movie). The girl is actually a professional bounty monster-hunter with a profit motive. Eventually, they end up saving him from the fate of being the ultimate highlight of a lavish "monster feast". The little twist is that Bupa is physically born by the innocent nerdish guy, having been implanted into him by the dying pregnant monster mother. The girl eventually gets emotionally attached to the guy and the monster baby, in that order.
The two leads beautifully deliver their scenes with both outlandish tomfoolery and subtle nuances. BAI Baihe, arguably China's current princess of rom-com, is in equal measures coquettish and cocky, a sheer delight. JING Boran is about the most lovable nerd you can find today for any Asian cast.
There are exciting action sequences aplenty, offered up by a pageantry of celebrity stars, with superbly delivered animation blending so seamlessly that sometimes you totally forget that you are watching animation.
While not a major part of the movie, the background music contributes. In particular, the songs, whether a tender love duet, an uplifting spirit-raiser or outright comedy, are pitch-perfect (no pun intended), enhancing the moods of the movie at just the right moments. There is a good reason for this success: they came from the pens of a pair that can deservedly be called Hong Kong's Lerner and Lowe (or Rodgers and Hammerstein, if you prefer), Leon Ko and Chris Shum.