It’s been 23 years since Monsters Inc. was released, and it’s still a beloved film. The movie was imaginative, unique, and captivating. This Disney/Pixar movie is considered a classic animated film, so much so that it has yet to fade away due to the newer generation of kids. Monsters Inc. isn’t just funny, interesting, or quirky; it’s a film that discusses a severe topic: fear and what fear can push you to do.
Monsters Inc.
In the film, we follow our best friends, Mike and Sully, and their careers at Monsters Inc., a factory that produces power for their large city. They deliver power and energy by scaring children, collecting their screams, and converting those into usable energy. The movie plays on the “monster under my bed” trope by validating a child’s fear that there’s a monster under their bed, but not there to hurt them. The monsters employed at Monsters Inc. don’t harm the children; they scare them so their screams can be collected.
Sully is the best scarer in the entire company; he’s always number one. He and Mike work together as a team. Mike works as a scare assistant, helping Sully’s job run more smoothly and operating the doors that lead him into a child’s bedroom. The movie truly begins when Sully finds a child in the monster world; he later calls her Boo. He starts trying to figure out how to get Boo back home, only to uncover a major conspiracy within Monsters Inc.
The Conspiracy
Many lies were told to the monsters regarding children, one of the bigger ones being that touching a child would contaminate them. Not only did Sully discover that wasn’t true, but he and Mike also uncovered a conspiracy that planned to cause extreme harm to children everywhere. Children were getting harder to scare, and the head of the company, Mr. Waternoose, was concerned that it would mean their world would go without power. They needed children’s screams, so he devised a plan to use a machine that would extract the screams from a child.
The danger of this machine is that it would severely harm the child, and it’s heavily implied that whoever the machine was used would die. When Sully discovered Waternoose’s plan, he did his best to reveal it to the rest of their world. Even though most monsters were afraid of children because they were told they were poisonous, many still didn’t agree with the attempt to kidnap or harm them. Because of this, Waternoose was taken away, and Sully became the head of the company. They switched their tactics of generating power by making children laugh instead of scaring them.
Sully and Mike found that laughter was more potent than screams and less harmful to children. The motivation and perspective of the monster world also change similarly. For much of the film, fear was the driving force until it eventually couldn’t hold that fear any longer, and the characters had to move past it.
Driven by Fear
Many believed the concept of the monsters scaring children was a way to portray fear in the film. At closer inspection, fear is also shown emotionally throughout Monsters Inc. as well. The characters’ actions are often fueled by fear, even those in power. Sully was afraid of Boo, then eventually became worrisome about what would happen to her if he didn’t help her. This is why he spent so much of the movie determined to save Boo. Boo was afraid of Randall, her assigned monster, that often scared her. When she’d see him around the factory, she’d run and hide, sometimes getting into trouble because of it.
Mike was afraid of their way of life being taken away, of going to jail and things changing. Because of this, he spends most of the film trying to get rid of Boo, putting her back in her home regardless of what might happen to her. Even Mr. Waternoose, the owner of Monsters Inc., was ruled by fear. He was afraid that their world would suffer if they couldn’t harvest more screams. His fear influenced him to do awful things to prevent it from coming true. Even after being arrested, he maintained that he only tried to do what was best for their world.
Only when the characters overcame their fear did things change and improve for each of them. Sully was able to protect Boo, and Boo was able to defend herself against Randall, overcoming her fear of him, and Mike learned to embrace change. Monsters Inc. tells us that allowing fear to rule you will lead to dire consequences. In Mr. Waternoose’s case, it led to him trying to harm children; in Mike’s case, it caused him to try and abandon Boo rather than do the right thing. Whether fear causes you to be complicit in harm being done or cause damage, it’s essential to find the courage to overcome that and do better. That’s what Monsters Inc. showed us.
Final Thoughts
Monsters Inc. is a timeless classic that will be shown to kids for generations. It has aged incredibly, and for the most part, you can’t tell that it’s 23 years old. This film is incredible with its humor, deep message, loveable characters, and a feel-good ending. To many, it represents a golden age of animated films where creativity and depth were at the forefront. Monsters Inc. shows us that we can overcome fear, change for the better, and forgive ourselves for the past as we look into the future.
For More Great Content
Craving top-tier content that covers it all? From electrifying sports highlights and insider entertainment news to expert gaming tips and sharp betting advice, we’ve got you covered. Dive into our curated articles to stay ahead of the game with the latest sports action, uncover the hottest trends in entertainment, and get the lowdown on gaming strategies that could level up your play. Plus, our betting advice will sharpen your edge and boost your chances of winning big.
Whether you’re looking to stay updated or gain a competitive edge, our content is your go-to source for all things exciting and relevant. Don’t miss out—explore now and power up your knowledge! Follow us on Twitter/X @TotalApexSports, to stay informed.
