Ratatouille Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

superb

this film is superb. A rat called Remy dreams of becoming a great chef, despite his family's wishes, and the obvious problem of being a rat, in a decidedly rodent phobic profession.

When fate places Remy in the city of Paris, he finds himself ideally situated, beneath a restaurant made famous by his culinary hero - Auguste Gusteau.

Despite the apparent dangers of being an unwanted visitor in the kitchen, at one of Paris' most exclusive restaurants, Remy forms an unlikely partnership with linguini, the garbage boy, who inadvertently discovers Remy's amazing talents.

They strike a deal, ultimately setting into motion a hilarious and exciting chain of extrordinary events, that turns the culinary world of Paris upside down.

Remy finds himself torn between following his dreams, or returning forever to his previous existence as a rat.

He learns the truth about friendship, family, and having no choice, but to be who he really is, a rat who wants to be a chef.

well worth watching.

Unbelievably disappointing

This was the first film I took my 4 year old to see in the cinema. I thought it would be the ideal first outing. Having enjoyed Toy Story, Nemo, The Incredibles, and even Cars together this completely failed in what I see as the Pixar USP. A multi-layered story that appeals on one level to adults and on a completely different one to kids and sometimes you meet right in the middle.

I didn't get a laugh the whole way through and my son was bored within 10 minutes and nothing after that got his attention back.

The fundamental problem is it's a boring premise. I mean if you think about it who wants to watch a 90 minute animation about a boy and a rat who want to become chefs.

Dull, dull, dull.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Rats all folks....

What a recipe... Mix the story telling magic of Disney and the CGI brilliance of Pixar, add a Paris setting and a gastronomic rat, and you just cant fail to cook up an amusing funfest. This is a stunning masterpiece of effects and giggles that just cannot fail to keep you thoroughly entertained. I stayed away from saying a riotous romp of ratty restaurant hilarity, but there you go, I've said it. A must see definate recommendation for all the family.

[Highly rated reviewer]

The super geniuses at Pixar have done it again though tots may disagree.

Remy, budding cook and fan of the late celebrity chef Auguste Gusteau, arrives at Gusteau's beleaguered Paris restaurant and strives to help it overcome its misfortunes. Not easy for a rat.

'Anyone can cook' is Gusteau's motto. 'Anyone can animate' might be Pixar's and they'd be right. Anyone can draw a flick-book. Anyone reading this could probably use frame-capture software for cel animation or stop-motion. Even a modest computer is enough for CG. Certainly everyone and his uncle seems to be knocking out CG features these days but, crucially, not just anyone can be inspired. Anyone can animate but, when Pixar hires animators, they aren't interested in computer skills but story telling acumen and their films stand out because they are inspired and inspiring. Ratatouille, which is about inspiration, is no exception.

As expected the film is technically flawless- appropriately a feast for the eyes with clothes and fur ruffling, wine sloshing and flames fluttering in wondrous detail (clearly when hiring programmers computer skills are right at the top of Pixar's list) but it wears its wizardry lightly. The countryside is idyllic, Paris enchanting and the atmosphere heady but there's no slavish devotion to photo-realism. This is still a cartoon world allowing hairs-breadth chases, impossible contortions and gravity defying slap-stick so when Remy starts controlling his hapless co-conspirator Linguini, by pulling his hair like a puppeteer, it's perfectly fitting. Linguini and his fellow humans are suitably caricatured and the rats... actually the rats aren't that cute- they have large expressive eyes and dextrous hands but, apart from that, anthropomorphism is at a minimum and their movement and mannerisms are almost unsettlingly convincing.

On the evidence of this and The Incredibles director Brad Bird, a former cel animator (and by the way if you haven't seen The Iron Giant put it at the top of your rental list now), has clearly taken to CG. As Remy scurries through drains, up walls and along pipes the camera darts around him playfully but the little touches delight too such as the abstract swirls and shapes that illustrate Remy's love of flavour. This creative passion is at the heart of the film and if it has a motto it must be 'to thane own self be true'. Food critic Anton Ego's voice-over near the end (Peter O'Toole- perfect in an otherwise interchangeable cast) is joyous, poetic even and had me grinning like a fool. It's not funny though and, if this paragraph has made Ratatouille sound heavy going for little 'uns, I believe it is. Ratatouille is clever-funny rather than high-jinks funny though there are high-jinks and they are funny (that doesn't sound right- is high-jinks plural?). Like Surf's Up, this year's other CG gem, there's more for adults and older children than anyone still in junior school.

If you take the kids because they are begging to see it I suspect they'll be the ones fidgeting. Hire a baby-sitter, go back later and see this clever and heartfelt film for yourself.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Disappointing

After being overwhelmed by the stunning Finding Nemo,and equally impressive Incredibles,a duff Pixar movie is the last thing I was expecting.Sad to say,but that is exactly what we have here.Like the similarly lack lustre Cars,this film looks absolutely stunning,as we've all come to expect-what we hadn't come to expect though was a Pixar movie that has no characterisation,near zero humour,and a less than engaging premise. With it's 'Allo,Allo' style French accents delivered with an American twang

you're left wondering why it was set in France at all and not say New Orleans.

Disappointing.

So Dissappointed

I don't understand why this film got so many 5 stars in magazines. It was terrible. For a comedy I didn't laugh once and I love the pixar movies (Toy Story and Finding Nemo are two of the greatest films ever!) It was just so stupid, you didn't like any of the characters and frankly didn't care what happened to any of them. So dissappointed.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Over Rat-ed

As a U cert at just short of 2 hours, it is too long for 4 year olds and up. I have a reasonable attention span (not one of a Goldfish!!) and I found myself drifting. I could see I wasn't the only one as there were a bunch of teenagers who soon started talking and playing with their mobiles.

On the plus side the animation is good as is the story but the length, take off half an hour and then it would be around the correct length.

fab

Pixar has done it again! very good script and of course good animation, with the right balance between humour and seriousness to appeal to adults and children alike. Carz was a bit of a letdown for me, but it seems with the cute rat they are back on form. Looking forward to see it on the big screen.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Rats!

The story goes that an alienated rat discovers a penchant for cookery that has him cross paths with a totally clueless human who works in a once celebrated restaurant. The two inadvertently team up against the despicable head chef and to cut a long story short you know exactly what happens.

Now all that being said I can forgive a film for being generic if it's in the least bit entertaining, and whilst Ratatouille is an affable film with lavish visuals & animation it never actually made me laugh, cry or give a damn. The characters all say and do exactly what you'd imagine and beyond the slapstick and cute there's little attempt to inject any genuine humour. That'd be bearable were it not for the lack of drama - but there's just nothing going on and the big finale is a whopping 'who cares'.

Although Ratatouille is a likeable film it's also an entirely average one. You've seen it a thousand times before and there's nothing to separate this from past works. Pedestrian and familiar you won't be remembering it in a years time. I give it 3 stars.

I am such a kid!!

I loved it and I even cried!!