Monster House is a fun, thrilling movie that's written for those more interested in light mystery than being scared to death. The animated flick, directed by Gil Kenan and written by Don Harmon, Rob Schrab and Pamela Pettler is great clean fun presenting a roller coaster that has enough twists to keep the adult interested, but is also gentle enough that those just about three feet tall can also be allowed on.

Mystery-filled story

As such, none of the blood and gore in which the modern monster flick floats drips from this movie. However, writing and direction combine to create a fast-paced mystery-filled story that will engage adults while keeping their young ones, maybe a little too close to the edge of their seats (or buried in the back of the chairs).

Freed from the weight of 50 million superstars voicing the characters, Monster House is allowed to soar as an interesting tale that quickly sneaks up on you buoyed by engaging characters. The story is written along the vein of the 1980s, puberty adventure flick, where a group of friends, around 12-14 years, go on a grand adventure which usually involves their crotchety neighbour, or some other kind of neighbourhood terror. Actually, the movie is also set in 1980s American sub-urbia, where the scariest thing ought to have been either a credit card bill or wanton disregard for world poverty.

In this case, best friends DJ (voiced by Mitchell Musso), and Chowder (voiced by Sam Lerner) and their new friend Jenny (voiced by Spencer Locke) discover that something is wrong with their neighbour's house. DJ, who is on his way to supernerdom seems to be the kind of boy who would grow up to be Fox Mulder (indeed the sentient house plot does feel a little X-files like). DJ spends all his time watching the neighbour's house and chronicling his activities, so he is the first to notice that something is amiss.

Monster lures

Soon the three realise that the house is not merely decrepit looking and eating away at their parents' real estate value, but it's actually a monster. The monster lures in anyone, usually children, who come onto the lawn and then eats them.

Of course, these three feel that it is their duty to stop this monster, especially on the eve of Halloween when hundreds of unsuspecting children will wander up to the door seeking candy.

The story is well written with entertaining dialogue which is beautifully enhanced by the direction. As a result, Monster House is sweet, funny and a little thrilling. At a time when too much of the flicks oozing out of Hollywood are mindless drivel, Monster House feels like a clean warm-hearted flick that speaks more to the joy of storytelling that should be at the heart of the film industry. Of course, that heart is by now bloated and all the arteries are clogged with the crap that floats to the top.