Ratatouille Review

Cast: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Ramano, Peter O'Toole

Dir: Brad Bird

Rating: 3/5

Remy is a rat from the French countryside with a refined palate and taste for fine food and a talent for making new creations by combining different flavours.

Remy hides a respect for the human race he walks on two legs when no one is looking and dreams of being able to cook. He watches and believes the famous chef Gusteau when he says that anyone can cook.

After becoming separated from his family he finds himself in Paris and outside the great, late chef Gusteau's restaurant.But moral in Gusteau's failing restaurant is low as new head chef Skinner is only interested in cashing in on Gusteau's name through deals with frozen food companies.

The new garbage boy Linguini dreams of moving up the kitchen chain but there's just one problem... he can't cook.When Linguini catches Remy fixing his disastrous soup a partnership is born.

Together, with Lugini's human shape and Remy talent in the kitchen, and in secret they begin to turn around the fortunes of the restaurant.

But with famous food critic Anton Ego retuning to review the revitalised restaurant, his last review resulting in Gusteau's losing one of its stars, will their partnership be enough to win him over?

Ratatouille was possibly one of the most eagerly anticipated movies of 2007 as fans and critics alike were all interested in how animation giants Pixar were going to further stretch the boundaries of their craft.

And, in terms of animation, they do not disappoint. Visually the movie is just stunning bringing Paris and the hustle and bustle of busy kitchen to life as once again Pixar prove that they are the animation heavyweights in a year that has provided us with some very below par movies in this genre.

Accompanied by some great vocal performances, in particular Peter O'Toole as food critic Anton Ego, aesthetically the film is first rate and you will struggle to find a better crafted movie this year.

Despite carrying an inspirational message of be all you can be and don't be afraid to follow your dreams Ratatouille is just lacking something that would have made it great.

While it was not as large a disappointment as last years Cars it was, and it pains me to say, a major let down.

After a promising opening the film takes on the saga of Remy's family vs his unusual desire to cook and as he enters Gusteau's kitchen the plot became laboured and in places dull.

Don't be expecting a roll in the aisle with laughter romp either as it lacks any prolonged humour but does raise a chuckle here and there, in fact the laughs are mostly likely to come in the before feature short.

In all Rataouille is sadly a disappointment despite being an aesthetic feast the script just lacks that knockout punch that we are so used to with other Pixar movies like Finding Nemo.

While others sing its praises, and it will no doubt bag an Oscar nomination, as I left the cinema I found myself wanting to like it more than I actually did.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

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