Rodent stirs up the pot in 'Ratatouille'

Rats in the kitchen may not sound appetizing, but this movie's hero is a fun and furry gourmet.

By ANDREA WILLINGHAM
Published June 28, 2007

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Having been around domesticated rats before, I thought the animated rodents in Ratatouille were extremely well portrayed. Their mannerisms are very realistic, especially in the scenes with the colony that Remy (voice of Patton Oswalt) lives in. Moving in flowing swarms, they pour en masse from their hiding places, tumble playfully together, and scurry dexterously through the shadows.

Remy, with his huge, innocent eyes, is one sophisticated rat.

The beginning of the film is excellent. It lays out the plot, has some good action scenes and does a great job of portraying the culture of French cuisine and the rat that wants to be part of the food scene. Obviously, a lot of research has gone into the making of Ratatouille, and the producers included some great details in the film.

I found very few things to criticize, except for the extremely predictable plot, which had very little suspense and no memorable twists. If anything, the movie had a strong start but a slightly weaker ending.

I was also somewhat disturbed by the fact that Remy helped his human friend, Linguini (voice of Lou Romano), by pulling his hair and making his arms move like a marionette. Although it is strange at first, somehow it seems acceptable and makes for some pretty comical scenes throughout the movie.

Overall, Ratatouille is a superb film, in the finest tradition of Pixar Animation Studios. The flaws can be easily forgotten through its impeccable quality and heartwarming, though predictable, story. I am definitely going to see this movie again. It is great for all ages . . . and especially for rodent lovers.

Andrea Willingham, 17, just completed 11th grade and is homeschooled in Odessa.