It's next year and I found my thread
While Despereaux the book is a charming, unique story, Despereaux the movie is a cute but somewhat dull affair.
In the movie, The Tale of Despereaux, we start not with the titular character, but with the secondary figure, Roscuro, a rat, as he sails into the Kingdom of Dor on Soup Day. The narrator -- who joins us throughout the film -- explains that Soup Day is the greatest day of the year, when the King's chef reveals his new masterpiece soup for the King and then for all the citizens. But this year, tragically, the Queen dies and Soup is banned through the land.
The movie jumps to Despereaux's story, an undersized mouse with oversized ears, who refuses to learn to scurry and cower and generally live in fear as mice do. Fearless, he breaks the greatest mouse rule, and talks to a human; and is banished to the dungeon. There, his tale meets up with Roscuro's, the Princess's and more. Despereaux's bravery saves the day and restores Soup to the Kingdom.
But in telling the story, the movie commits a cardinal story-telling sin: we are told how the characters feel and are changing by the narrator rather than revealing this through the actions and choices of the characters.
It's also evident that the movie's creators didn't trust their source material, adding in the overlong introduction of Roscuro, which places the focus of the movie on Roscuro rather than on Despereaux, the protagonist. A pointless magical chef is added as well, to spice it up perhaps, without adding anything to the story.
Even the star voice cast of Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick, Sigourney Weaver, Robbie Coltrane, and Emma Watson bring uninteresting performances. There is nothing distinctive to any of the voicings; the movie would have been better off had more money been spent on the script and less on the casting.
The animation is fine; this is no Pixar movie, but it works and is visually fun. The stronger tones of the book are lessened down -- for example, the maid Miggory in the book is chronically boxed in the ears, but in the movie she's merely yelled at twice. And the story focuses on bravery, loyalty and forgiveness, making it safe and suitable for all ages.
The Tale of Despereaux is a cute movie, but in failing to trust the original story, is too tame and uses amateurish storytelling.
6/10
While Despereaux the book is a charming, unique story, Despereaux the movie is a cute but somewhat dull affair.
In the movie, The Tale of Despereaux, we start not with the titular character, but with the secondary figure, Roscuro, a rat, as he sails into the Kingdom of Dor on Soup Day. The narrator -- who joins us throughout the film -- explains that Soup Day is the greatest day of the year, when the King's chef reveals his new masterpiece soup for the King and then for all the citizens. But this year, tragically, the Queen dies and Soup is banned through the land.
The movie jumps to Despereaux's story, an undersized mouse with oversized ears, who refuses to learn to scurry and cower and generally live in fear as mice do. Fearless, he breaks the greatest mouse rule, and talks to a human; and is banished to the dungeon. There, his tale meets up with Roscuro's, the Princess's and more. Despereaux's bravery saves the day and restores Soup to the Kingdom.
But in telling the story, the movie commits a cardinal story-telling sin: we are told how the characters feel and are changing by the narrator rather than revealing this through the actions and choices of the characters.
It's also evident that the movie's creators didn't trust their source material, adding in the overlong introduction of Roscuro, which places the focus of the movie on Roscuro rather than on Despereaux, the protagonist. A pointless magical chef is added as well, to spice it up perhaps, without adding anything to the story.
Even the star voice cast of Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick, Sigourney Weaver, Robbie Coltrane, and Emma Watson bring uninteresting performances. There is nothing distinctive to any of the voicings; the movie would have been better off had more money been spent on the script and less on the casting.
The animation is fine; this is no Pixar movie, but it works and is visually fun. The stronger tones of the book are lessened down -- for example, the maid Miggory in the book is chronically boxed in the ears, but in the movie she's merely yelled at twice. And the story focuses on bravery, loyalty and forgiveness, making it safe and suitable for all ages.
The Tale of Despereaux is a cute movie, but in failing to trust the original story, is too tame and uses amateurish storytelling.
6/10
