REVIEW: Ratatouille

What more can I say, PIXAR is nothing short of the greatest film company currently on the planet. They have produced not one, not two, but EIGHT hit films since there debut feature, the beloved TOY STORY in 1995. Since then they have had made one great film after another including A BUG’S LIFE, TOY STORY 2, MONSTER’S INC, FINDING NEMO, THE INCREDIBLES, and CARS. Their newest film, RATATOUILLE, is nothing short of a worthy addition to the PIXAR anthology.

RATATOUILLE, directed by Brad Bird (THE IRON GIANT, THE INCREDIBLES) is about a rat named Remy who dreams of being a chef in Paris France. He eventually finds himself in the kitchen of Gusteau’s, formerly one of the greatest restaurants in all of Paris until its master chef, Gusteau, suddenly dies. Since his death, the restaurant has fallen into disarray after receiving a slew of bad reviews from Paris’s top food critic, Anton Ego. After befriending a newly hired garbage boy named Linguini, Remy realizes that through his new friend, his dream of cooking is possible. As the story unfolds, their friendship will be tested as they try their best to rekindle the sumptuous tastes of gourmet cuisine that Gusteau’s once represented, and they will also face the dangers of self-discovery from the villainous chef Skinner, who has taken control of the restaurant.

The most remarkable thing about RATATOUILLE is its incredible fish-out-of-water story. In its essence, it is about a rat who wants to do the one of the most unlikely things that one would ever wish or hope for a rat to do, cook in a kitchen. In our world rats are suppose to represent the epitome of filth and disease, but not Remy. Remy would rather walk on two feet to keep his paws, which he uses to cook, from getting too dirty. He tries his hardest to get the point across to his rodent friends and family that they don’t have to just eat garbage all the time, that there is something more wonderful and delightful in this world for them to eat. Remy also realizes the potential that “Anyone can cook” which is the title of his favorite cook book, written by none other than Gustaeu himself. Through Remy, a rat, the audience is taken on an adventure through a farm house, sewers, a restaurant kitchen, allies, and the streets of Paris all the time discovering what friendship is all about, that we all have purpose in this world, that humility and service are always better than selfishness and pride, and that “Anyone can cook!”

Once again, PIXAR has elevated its technical mastery of the animated world, making it look so surreal that every moment leaves you breathless. From the glowing lights of Paris, to the vibrant colors of food, and to the lifelike movements of the swarms of rodents that perpetuate the screen. One particular scene involving a sewer is one of the most thrilling scenes in an animated scene that I have ever scene, so thrilling in fact, that at times it doesn’t even feel like your watching an animated movie, its just that amazing. Furthermore, I have yet to see fur come to life in a animated world that is this free flowing, fluffy, and as realistic when wet, it just shimmers in the light. There is no doubt that PIXAR models itself after Walt Disney himself, pouring out a sense of passion and care in every detail of their projects for the sake of pure artistry and excellence. So many animated films in the past years have had something to say, last years HAPPY FEET is the first to come to mind, where as PIXAR just tells a truthful and honest tale, and allows the audience to discover the meaning for themselves. Isn’t that what good stories are suppose to do?

I have never been so convinced then now to call Brad Bird one of the greatest filmmakers of our time. To date he has made three outstanding pictures, and I sense and hope that we will be seeing much more from him in the future. He has truly set up shop at PIXAR with the likes of John Lasseter, and Andrew Stanton, and I can’t wait to see where they go from here. One of Birds most accomplished moves in this film, is his choice of voice casting, he has a gift with it that very few have. Where other animated features pick big stars for their characters voices, purely for the chance to place their names on the poster, Bird and the PIXAR team actually pick voice talent based on the characters within their stories, based purely on who they think will give life to their characters in the most original and profound way, not simply because their currently a hot commodity in Hollywood. For Remy, Bird gives uses the voice talent of Patton Oswalt, most notably known as being a radio comic. Oswalt gives Remy a sense of such sincerity that the unthinkable happens, your bias against him as being a nothing more than a mangy rat begins to fade, and all that remains is a relatable and likable character that you can’t help but cheer for every minute he is on screen. Bird’s most brilliant casting move of all was for character of the food critic Anton Ego, voiced with perfection from the legendary Peter O. Toole. If Robin Williams can receive an Oscar nomination from his work in ALLADIN, then Peter O. Toole deserves nothing less. With his deep set voice, and eloquent speech, this stiff necked critic comes to life with a sense of cold-hearted intention, only for his hard shell to be melted away by the first bite of a peasant dish called RATATOUILLE. Every scene with Ego is memorable and remarkable, commanding your attention, something I never imagined an animated film could do. Ian Holm (Bilbo Baggins) is also perfectly cast as the villainous Skinner, the master chef who has snatched a diabolical plan to solve the riddle of just how Linguini is cooking up so many masterful dishes, and to stop him from taking over Gustaeu’s of which he is the rightful heir.

To say RATATUILLE is just a sumptuous treat is to not say enough. RATATOUILLE is the greatest film yet to be released in 2007, and it will for sure be on of the greatest films of the year. In a summer that has been filled with one disappointment after another, it is nothing short of a miracle to finally see a film where story takes center stage, where excellence and artistry are upheld from beginning to end, and where whit, charm, and entertainment finally balance themselves out to become something packed with meaning, non-stop laughs, and breathtaking visuals. This is a film that will be remembered!

GRADE: A

RECOMMENDATION: This is a film for EVERYONE!