Cartoon Mouse's Confusing Tale

Illawarra Mercury

Monday January 12, 2009

KILMENY ADIE

THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX (G)

Stars: Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson, Tracey Ullman and Kevin Kline

Director: Sam Fell and Robert Stevenhagen

**

Screening at Greater Union Shellharbour, Gala Warrawong and Hoyts Warrawong

The Tale of Despereaux is the latest animated release from director Sam Fell, the man behind Flushed Away.

The Tale of Despereaux is that film's poor animated cousin.

It lacks the charm, wit and the pace of Flushed Away and its plot development is heavily reliant upon fairytale cliche.

Based on Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Award-winning novel, the film's hero is an unusually miniature mouse named Despereaux (Broderick),

He was blessed with Dumbo-style ears and a combination of curiosity and fearlessness, which fellow mice deem reckless and dangerous.

Despereaux, terrifies his friends with dangerous stunts and his audacious conversation with the lonely Princess Pea (Watson) who lives a castle in the kingdom of Dor. This castle is also home to the mice - and their enemies - the banned rat population.

The rats and Dor's famed soup celebrations were outlawed after the death of the queen and when a darkness fell across the kingdom.

Fearing what Despereaux's recklessness may lead to, the mouse council banishes him to the castle's depths and the mercy of the sewer-dwelling rats.

The biggest problem with The Tale of Despereaux is its convoluted plot.

I haven't read the novel, so I have to presume this plot might have been acceptable in a book aimed at nine to 12-year-olds who had time to dwell on the storyline.

It may have even contributed to its modern fairytale charm, but cinematically it's a struggle to watch.

This will particularly affect younger audiences who, drawn to the animation, will need an adult to explain the plot development throughout the film.

Adding to this challenge is the fact the hero is not introduced until 20 minutes in.

By this time, the audience has learnt all about Roscuro the sailor rat (Hoffman) and how he stopped the kingdom's annual soup celebration, the death of the Queen, the isolation of the princess and the king's heartbreak.

While Despereaux's appearance does tie all these plots together, it would be better to have the mouse's arrival precede this exposition.

The tortuous commentary continues as more characters are introduced and their stories are told, such as the sad, hard life of maidservant Miggery Sow (Tracey Ullman).

The result is a film that moves along at a lumbering gait rather than the light-footed scamper one might expect from a G-rated animated film.

Curiously, the comedy is kept to a minimum and scenes like when the armoured knights chase Roscuro through the castle are played for the drama and not for laughs.

In this scene, Fell even allows for the occasional moment of slapstick, but it's really a nod at humour rather than an opportunity to have a laugh.

It is a surprising choice and one which makes the audience's enjoyment of the film suffer.

The animation, however, is fun to watch and Despereaux makes for an appealing hero.

His mantra of truth, honour and bravery is an admirable one, even if the film's moral is tad heavy-handed at its conclusion.

The Tale of Despereaux is a film for a rainy day, and is perhaps best viewed by those who have read the book.

© 2009 Illawarra Mercury

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