Simply put, Ratatouille is ce magnifique! 10/10
My confidence in Pixar was dented a bit after Cars, which was a fun watch but lacked some of the heart and whip-smart characterization seen in Pixar's previous storylines. I should have known that those doubts were misplaced, because after catching a sneak preview of Brad Bird's Ratatouille (officially opens June 29) I am now firmly back in the Pixar fanboy camp.
It just shows how truly gifted the folks at Pixar are when they can take a CGI furry animal comedy (a genre beaten into the ground over the last 3 years), incorporate action that mostly involves cooking, and YOU CAN'T LOOK AWAY FOR A SECOND. It's just that engrossing and engaging a film. I don't know if I'm willing to go as far as saying that Ratatouille is now the best Pixar film, because the superhero geek in me still leans toward giving that title to The Incredibles. However, Ratatouille is easily in the top 3.
The plot is deceptively simple. A French rat named Remy discovers that he has complex taste preferences in food unlike those of his garbage-eating kin. When Remy accidentally ends up living underneath a Parisian restaurant founded by a deceased chef whom he idolizes, a unique opportunity to form a partnership with a young bumbling human kitchen worker named Linguini presents itself. Along the way, the viewer is treated to amazing sequences of Remy scuttling through walls and ceilings, the commonplace surroundings elevated to jaw-dropping set pieces due to Pixar artistry. Paris has never looked so good. The food preparation and restaurant sequences will appeal to adult fans of cooking channels, but here's the kicker - the children in the theater audience were equally spellbound. By cooking.
There are a couple of frantic fun chase sequences of course, one of which involves an underhanded head chef trying to capture Remy. The action never decends to "loud, dumb family movie" level however, and other CG animation studios like Dreamworks, Sony and Warner Bros should take note. I'm a bit curious about the "G" rating given to the film, since there is a sequence where some of the human characters get tipsy on wine, as well as a plot twist involving a character discovering who his real father is, but all this is handled in the usual expert Pixar way of treating the intelligences of both the adults and children in the audience with respect. This is truly the key to Pixar's success - they have an equal respect for their product and their audiences. Vive le Pixar!
I'm so stoked for this film!
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