What gets me about this movie is that it feels like the first, and maybe so far the only, Pixar film that's really written for grown-ups. Kids can certainly enjoy it, but the main themes—the drive to create and the tension between individuality and social acceptance—are ones that most children can't really relate to, and the overall atmosphere is very different from a typical movie made with kids in mind.
This was a pretty good review. Shame there wasn't a larger limit because I felt feedback on what you thought on the characters would have been interesting as well.
I\'m gonna be honest. I don\'t like Ratatouille. It\'s too predictable. My favorite character is the critic, Anton Ego, and even he is pretty predictable in the movie. There\'s also the fact that France as a romantic setting is really cliche. I find it to be one of Pixar\'s weaker efforts overall.
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A beautifully written animated film with a few weak spots
Ratatouille is, to me, one of the most interesting and unforgettable animated achievements. It unashamedly avoids childish pandering and the generic upbeat style one would expect from an animated adventure, and yet it still manages to fascinate and impress me each and every time I watch it. This isn't an average family film. In fact, I can't even call it a family film, because it almost never feels like one. This is pure, timeless animated art. It's deliciously experimental, intelligently written, sometimes exquisitely poignant, and a bit flawed. However, the little flaws in this movie are very easy to forgive, because a film of this nature cannot be perfect, and doesn't need to be.
Ratatouille succeeds because of its rich and beautiful atmosphere. The animation is exactly the sort of standard that Pixar is good at - a magical combination of eccentricity and breathtakingly realistic design. Presented like a feature-length sitcom, the film goes at a rather slow pace, but it rarely feels like a bore because there are just so many clever plot threads to untangle. Unlike WALL-E, which features godlike animation but also an obvious and annoyingly preachy plot, Ratatouille's plot is like that of a classic novel. The characters are charming, the story constantly changes and evolves, and the film's conclusion is one of Pixar's best.
As previously mentioned, it's an experimental movie with a slightly melancholic atmosphere, but it feels right. However, this is where the flaws come in. While this film is creative, daring, mature and unconventional, it does suffer from having a bit too much story. The plot threads pile up, weave together and merge in ways that can make you lose track of what's going on. Another flaw is with the film's main character, Remy. Sure, he's pretty cute and has good intentions, but his rather pretentious, self-serving attitude can be quite off-putting at times. Finally, we don't really see enough of Paris in the movie. Too much of the movie is set indoors, so it's a shame that we don't see more of the fabulous French capital.
But I like said before, these flaws are easy to forgive, because it's still excellently crafted. The animation is delightful, the intricate story always has me coming back for more, the atmosphere is irresistibly fancy, and the conclusion is heartwarming and deep. No sequel is necessary.