'Monsters' offers family-friendly scares

Of the last four theatrical releases from the esteemed and celebrated Disney-Pixar studios, three have been sequels or prequels. And while this summer’s “Monsters University” is certainly no “Cars 2,” it certainly is no “Toy Story 3” either. You almost can’t help but wonder if the studio behind such innovative hits as “Up” and “The Incredibles” is running dry on the originality front.

Over a decade after the release of “Monsters, Inc,” “Monsters University” reunites us with green, one-eyed Mike and blue-haired but lovable Sully. But the twist is we’re joining the animated duo as they meet for the first time in college, and while their friendship is legendary, things between the two don’t start out so smoothly. The bookish and technical Mike butts his head with the laidback, natural scare legacy Sully. The two must eventually band together to show they belong as students at Monsters University.

It’s a rather strong prequel idea, giving the opportunity to create and show off a myriad of new collegiate monsters. On that front, the film succeeds in spades. When Mike first arrives on campus, the colors and the set design are stunning. Perhaps I have a bit of a bias, but I wouldn’t have been half surprised to learn the animators had visited Bloomington to sketch out some of their scenic concepts.

There’s plenty to gawk at, meaning the under-five crowd will be more than entertained during the film’s bloated running time of just under two hours. Unfortunately, the jokes don’t play strong enough to the older crowd. Granted, “Monsters University” is a children’s film, but the brilliance of Pixar films is their ability to play to all audiences. There are a few gut-busting jokes, like the sweet fraternity mom who listens to heavy metal. But where’s the meaning behind the laugh? Too many of them come off cheap and easy instead of benefiting from the narrative substance.

Still, it’s hard to shake a finger at a film so chock full of family fun. Billy Crystal and John Goodman deliver excellent voice work as Mike and Sully, a team still so charming that you’ll find yourself begging for another monster installment.

While the Pixar pedigree could use some fresh paint on the wall, “Monsters University” is an ultimately solid 14th feature for the animation studio with enough pizzazz and charm to distract from the slightly stale absence of innovation.