Monster House (2006) Review by Fanny Fan Wai Ping 1704755

Monster House (2006) blog by Fanny Fan

Monster House (2006)

Monster House is a 3D computer-animated film which directed by Gil Kenan from screenplay by Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab and Pamela Pettler. It is the story about three young children found out the neighbor's house is being possessed by his wife and become a monster house that eat everything that are in its lawn. It being lived and taken care by its husband, Mr. Horace Nebbercracker, who is a old man. The main character, D. J. Walters who is a 12-years-old kid is trying to engage the lawn to bring back the basketball which accidentally dropped by his best friend, Chowder. Nebbercracker was sent to hospital by ambulance due to the issue of heart attack when he is threatening D. J. to ensure him move away from his lawn and house.

This film twisted very nice at the end of the story, it is out of our expectation. Nebbercracker gave the first impression for audience is fierce, unfriendly neighbor, mental problem which that D. J has mentioned "he always talk to the house" even there has rumor spread that he ate his wife. But at the end of the film, Nebbercracker actually is a nice and kind guy who is trying to avoid people or neighbor from get hurt by the house which is his dead wife. This film has give the hints to audience that this house and lawn have spirit by showing the grass holds back the trolley when the medical staffs sending him to ambulance when he suffering heart attack by trying to tie the wheel even tear it up.

Monster House

The design of the house has delivered the feelings of fear and horror nicely when it comes to a moving house and attacking the people. It had expressed as a human which use carpet as its tongue, column as its teeth, windows as its eyes and trees as its hands. It also included scientific facts that it will vomit when D. J. and his friends attack its uvula. Therefore, they found out they need to destroy its heart just like human and noticed that the heart is the furnace of the house.

Monster House is categorized as supernatural horror comedy film which is combined the elements of horror fiction and comedy. This film give the feeling of frighten and panic to audience and it often use terrifying, shocking finale, and captivating at the same time to attract audience. It usually plays in the fast cut or quick cut to make people have no time to react and think about the scene. The house of Nebbercracker is the monster of the horror film which is the main element or character that make the film become horror and interesting especially when it enraged and become a monster and attack the human. 

D. J. and Chowder

Besides that, it also categorized as comedy film which is designed to entertain and make fun with audience. Director will exaggerate the situation or the behaviors, language, and action of characters such as pushing character or character fall down. For example, Chowder pushed D. J. to go take back his basketball at the lawn of the neighbor's house. For addition, Chowder get crashed by D. J. parent with car when he pass by, and the ambulance accidentally crash into D. J. when it send back Nebbercracker. Usually they use the funny things of daily social and cultural frustration which people is familiar with. the director had used the parody which is a type of comedy which usually showed in conventions, motifs of a serious work or others. For example, Chowder asked D. J. "Is it my brain in my nose!?" when his basketball hit his nose, and D. J. replied "Yes, it is puberty.".

Next, it also categorized in action genre which has continuous high energy physical stunts and activities, extended chase scenes, fight and escapes, as well as non-stop motion, spectacular rhythm and pacing. It usually has features various modes of transportation such as bus, auto, ship, train, plane, horseback and others. For example, the monster house chasing D. J. and his friends, exploring of monster house after D. J. throw the boom into the dynamite into the chimney.

In my opinion, Monster House has a very good ending which is distribute and give back all the stuff that Nebbercracker and his house (wife) took for many years in Halloween. Its really reflected a quote which is "Don't judge a book by its cover", which had shown on Nebbercracker who chase everyone out of his house or lawn to avoid other people get hurt. Although  he get bad impression for other neighbor.