Monsters University, the sequel to Pixar’s delightfully wonky Monsters Inc. hits theatres today and it offers a plethora of opportunities – for 00s kids and current college students it’s a chance to revisit the world of Mike, Sully and the rest of Monstropolis at the perfect moment, for Pixar – a chance to redeem themselves after recent slumps and for movie critics – a chance to make every college pun imaginable – sometimes more than one. Wordplays aside though, Monsters seems to be doing pretty well with both critics and audiences. It currently holds the unusually high rating of 77% fresh on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and is probably the first movie in history with the same grade on IMDB – 7.7/10. And it might be that this colorful Pixar romp has reached the children deep inside movie critics, for they’re also heaping praise on the film – if a bit more sparingly.

TIME magazine’s Richard Corliss praises the film’s visual thrills, but doesn’t neglect to mention the standard refrain: it’s not as good as Up or WALL-E, but it’ll do. The review ends on a moderately positive note, with Corliss accurately describing Monsters as “a minor film with major charms.”

Check out the Monsters University trailer here.

 

Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri calls this prequel “funny, fast, and likable, with occasional moments of real visual surprise and laugh-out-loud offhand gags” It should be enjoyed for what it is, and not what we all wish it was – a second Monsters Inc., preferably served with a ticket back to twelve years ago. Ebiri also praised the film’s visual prowess, its wit and good pacing, if not its slightly formulaic plot.

That seems to be the general consensus of reviewers, including the LA Times, Chicago Tribune and others – Monsters goes heavy on the visuals and snappy humor, but less so on originality and emotional depth. Still, a funny, well executed summer movie with a throwback to childhood? Sign us up!

Click to see more pictures from the premiere.

Monsters University Premiere And Tailgate Party
Mike and Sully in collegiate uniform at the premiere party.

John, Nancy Lasseter, Monsters University Premiere
Pixar president John Lasseter was also in attendance at the premiere.