Monsters, Inc. poster

Monsters, Inc.

200192 minutesG
5.4
Arcplot Score
📝 Unconventional
Unverified
⭐ 8.1IMDb
🍅 96%Rotten Tomatoes
Ⓜ️ 79/100Metacritic
🎬 7.8TMDb
📊 14.5Popularity
🏆Won 1 Oscar. 15 wins & 38 nominations total
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Directed by: Pete Docter
A city of monsters with no humans called Monstropolis centers around the city's power company, Monsters, Inc. The lovable, confident, tough, furry blue behemoth-like giant monster named James P. Sullivan (better known as Sulley) and his wisecracking best friend, short, green cyclops monster Mike Wazowski, discover what happens when the real world interacts with theirs in the form of a 2-year-old baby girl dubbed "Boo," who accidentally sneaks into the monster world with Sulley one night. And now it's up to Sulley and Mike to send Boo back in her door before anybody finds out, especially two evil villains such as Sulley's main rival as a scarer, chameleon-like Randall (a monster that Boo is very afraid of), who possesses the ability to change the color of his skin, and Mike and Sulley's boss Mr. Waternoose, the chairman and chief executive officer of Monsters, Inc.

Box Office

Budget:$115.0M
Revenue:$579.7M
Profit:$464.7M

Arcplot Score Breakdown

Beat Timing Precision3.7/10
Emotional Arc Impact5.5/10
Thematic Consistency7/10
Overall Score5.4/10

Beat Sheet

15 plot points

Monsters, Inc. Arcplot
1
Opening Image
1 min
2
Theme Stated
7 min
3
Set-Up
15 min
4
Catalyst
22 min
5
Debate
30 min
6
Break Into Two
38 min
7
B Story
46 min
8
Fun and Games
60 min
9
Midpoint
72 min
10
Bad Guys Close In
78 min
11
All Is Lost
85 min
12
Dark Night of the Soul
88 min
13
Break Into Three
89 min
14
Finale
90 min
15
Final Image
92 min

Emotional Arc

+100-10

Plot Points

#1

Opening Image

1 min

Monstropolis: city powered by screams of children; Monsters, Inc. factory in action.

#2

Theme Stated

7 min

Theme: fear versus laughter; growing up, friendship, challenging norms. Sulley reassures Boo "Don’t be afraid".

#3

Set-Up

15 min

Sulley and Mike working in factory; scaring children daily; hierarchy and training; rivalry with Randall; routine established.

#4

Catalyst

22 min

Boo accidentally enters monster world; panic; Sulley hides her; risk of contamination.

#5

Debate

30 min

Should they return her to her world immediately or keep her safe? Ethical dilemma; fear vs compassion.

#6

Break Into Two

38 min

Sulley and Mike attempt to get Boo home secretly; avoid Child Detection Agency; adventure begins.

#7

B Story

46 min

Friendship and trust between Sulley and Mike; confronting corporate rules and ambition.

#8

Fun and Games

60 min

Chases, hiding from Randall, inventive escapes; humorous sequences; discovery of loveable child.

#9

Midpoint

72 min

Randall exposes plan; Boo nearly in danger; Sulley realizes need to challenge factory system; stakes increase.

#10

Bad Guys Close In

78 min

Randall attempts to kidnap Boo; CDA threatens exposure; tension heightens.

#11

All Is Lost

85 min

Boo captured by CDA; Sulley feels helpless; failure imminent.

#12

Dark Night of the Soul

88 min

Sulley contemplates risking career to save Boo; moral imperative vs rules.

#13

Break Into Three

89 min

Sulley and Mike infiltrate CDA HQ; clever plan enacted.

#14

Finale

90 min

Boo safely returned; factory reimagined to produce laughter energy; growth and change realized.

#15

Final Image

92 min

Sulley and Mike smiling; children safe; laughter powers city; mirror of opening transformed.