Movie Review: Ratatouille

There is always a pleasant buzz surrounding the release of a Disney/Pixar movie. Expectations are high but that’s hardly surprising seeing as they always seem to deliver the goods. I think it is fair to call them a rare breed in today’s Hollywood – where so many films do indeed disappoint.   With seven pictures already under their belt, The Incredibles director Brad Bird is recalled to the hot seat for Pixar’s eighth outing, Ratatouille.

With bugs, toys, monsters, fish, superheroes, and even cars already brought to life, Ratatouille goes after rats. Who would of thought it was possible to make those rodents who terrorise our sewer systems into likable characters, but that is exactly what Pixar has pulled off here.

The story – the key to Pixar’s success over the years – centres on a rat named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) whose dream of becoming a chef becomes reality when he teams up with clumsy wannabe chef Linguini (Lou Romano).  It all happens courtesy of some ingenious hair pulling on Remy's part, which he uses in order to direct Linguini to create original and tasty dishes in a famous Paris restaurant. Linguini quickly becomes the biggest chef in the city, but can he ever reveal his secret?

When it comes to animation can be no denying that Pixar is still a step above their competitors. So, when Remy first emerges from the sewer system and the camera overlooks Paris, it’s no surprise how stunning it looks and how real it feels. The same can be said for the rest of the film, with every shot delicately rendered and detailed.

Through the years, Pixar’s films have never been short on vocal talent. The names range from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in the Toy Story films, Billy Crystal and John Goodman in Monsters, Inc., Albert Brooks and Willem Dafoe in Finding Nemo, Owen Wilson and Paul Newman in Cars, to even Mr. Cool himself Samuel L. Jackson in The Incredibles. However, interestingly enough the only real household name on display in Ratatouille is veteran British actor Peter O’Toole as snooty food critic Anton Ego.

Article Author: Daniel Cummings

This writer loves watching films and collecting DVDs. His favourite film of all time is The Shawshank Redemption. He also enjoys playing sports and spending time with his girlfriend.

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