This reviewer grew up on classic pre-70s Disney and is therefore deeply wary of anything produced thereafter as anything other than a singalong merchandising weapon of mass destruction aimed at the minds of our kids, a la The Lion King, The Little Mermaid et al. This reviewer also found himself thoroughly captivated by The Incredibles, and taken aback to have the same happen again, within minutes of immersion into this tale of the rat who becomes the greatest chef in the land.
Like with Bird's previous feature, the well-worn cliche of a cartoon appealing to children and adults alike holds true here, and exceeds the formula of that cliche, i.e. that the animation is the bit for the kids, and the wit of the script is to keep the parents happy. The animation is vivid, imaginative and lovingly crafted, with enough trick-shotery to keep the adult cinephile constantly on their toes. The plot, likewise, is primary-coloured and easy to follow, but peppered with a delicious range of asides and grotesques, which keep it anchored enough in reality to work as satire. This is no mean feat, but then Bird does have The Simpsons on his CV. Enough said.
8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment