Shannon Muir’s Take on the Animation World

It was a fun little film, with well developed characters (something Brad Bird does very well in all his films), a plot that took some groundwork to lay but overall held up well though at times a bit predictable.

There are a couple items I’m going to specifically point out though. 

Pacing is a little odd.  The first half goes a little slower than I would have liked for an animated film (given animation is geared to action), though I loved the character development.  What turns out to be the big turning point that takes us from what is roughly Act 2 to Act 3 of the film feels like something that normally would be the climax of an entire movie.  Then Act 3 almost feels like it could have been the premise for a sequel film with its own beginning, middle, and end (and this is difficult to explain without giving away plot points, you’ll have to trust me).  So it may be a bit of a shock when you think the film should be over but it’s not, but the reality is neither of these could merit a full film on their own without being painfully drawn out.  Ultimately it does work, it just defies conventional expectations.

The oddest part is the title itself.  The name Ratatouille (which is a food dish, for the uninformed… including myself before today) does not even APPEAR until halfway through the film, and even then comes out of the blue.  However, once it appears it becomes a crucial concept.  Again, without blowing plot points, it needed several mentions earlier in the film to tie that all together and the opportunities were certainly there.  It truly feels like a needed scene got lost along the way, or something disappeared in a rewrite.

Considering that unlike THE INCREDIBLES, that began as the passion of Brad Bird’s imagination, Brad Bird was brought on to take over this film - though I understand he was very interested in being involved - my expectations are such that I can forgive such smaller points.  In the end, especially compared to some animated films rushed to market, RATATOUILLE is a tasty film treat indeed.  I recommend it definitely worth seeing at some point, even if at matinee or DVD rental prices.

OK, I’ll agree, this was a more subtle SHREK movie than in the past. But if you look at it for what it is in the vein of all SHREK films, it carries the tradition well as it parodies Disney’s THE SWORD IN THE STONE and its depiction of Arthur and Merlin. If you don’t know that film though, I can see how it could be a bit of a letdown compared to the first two where SHREK is more of, well, an ogre.

More details later.