This film makes me feel bad because while I don't believe it's terrible or low in quality,something makes me feel that this should be better.
Technically,this film is as good as any:the imagery and lines of each character and detail has a rich,almost OLd World sensibility to it,like a classic Renaissance painting. Seeing the list of names associated with this films(those described here,plus Ciaran Hinds,Frank Langella,Richard Jenkins and Tony HAle,among others)has me encouraged. But the pacing and the plot of the show is slow and unenthralling,thus the film seems to drag despite the relatively quick running time.
While this movie purports to tell the tale(via the narration of a gentle,almost TOO laconic and relaxed Sigourney Weaver) of the small,bright and virtuous mouse of the title(voiced effectively by MAtthew Broderick,averaging about a half-movie a year,it seems),this seems to veer off into as much telling the tales of: a weeping King,a forlorn and helpless princess,a perfectionist chef(Kevin Kline,who you'd THINK would've had more to do for the billing),a wayward but decent rat(Dustin Hoffman,very good too),Despereaux's parents,a dumpy and plain stable maid(Tracey Ullman,good,toughest to recognize of the lot)and a saddened oaf of a castle servant. While the stories DO ultimately have a connection,they seem to all dawdle almost completely unrelated to each other for much of the run and make this film distractingly hard to stay tuned to.
BAsed on a (series of?)successful book(s?) by KAte DiCamillo,this film will probably--I say PROBABLY--be rewarding enough for the kids(read: little ones ten and younger)and,to repeat my point,this has a very rich and beautiful look to it,but it just simply doesn't seem to have much pop or spark as it tries to spell out a story(one that doesn't,I must confess,strike me as exceptionally unique on its own)of adventure and heroism. Not a good thing,really. Maybe more of a renter.
Technically,this film is as good as any:the imagery and lines of each character and detail has a rich,almost OLd World sensibility to it,like a classic Renaissance painting. Seeing the list of names associated with this films(those described here,plus Ciaran Hinds,Frank Langella,Richard Jenkins and Tony HAle,among others)has me encouraged. But the pacing and the plot of the show is slow and unenthralling,thus the film seems to drag despite the relatively quick running time.
While this movie purports to tell the tale(via the narration of a gentle,almost TOO laconic and relaxed Sigourney Weaver) of the small,bright and virtuous mouse of the title(voiced effectively by MAtthew Broderick,averaging about a half-movie a year,it seems),this seems to veer off into as much telling the tales of: a weeping King,a forlorn and helpless princess,a perfectionist chef(Kevin Kline,who you'd THINK would've had more to do for the billing),a wayward but decent rat(Dustin Hoffman,very good too),Despereaux's parents,a dumpy and plain stable maid(Tracey Ullman,good,toughest to recognize of the lot)and a saddened oaf of a castle servant. While the stories DO ultimately have a connection,they seem to all dawdle almost completely unrelated to each other for much of the run and make this film distractingly hard to stay tuned to.
BAsed on a (series of?)successful book(s?) by KAte DiCamillo,this film will probably--I say PROBABLY--be rewarding enough for the kids(read: little ones ten and younger)and,to repeat my point,this has a very rich and beautiful look to it,but it just simply doesn't seem to have much pop or spark as it tries to spell out a story(one that doesn't,I must confess,strike me as exceptionally unique on its own)of adventure and heroism. Not a good thing,really. Maybe more of a renter.