Directed by:
Toby GenkelScreenplay:
Terry RossioComposer:
Tom HoweCast:
Gemma Arterton, Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Hugh Laurie, Hugh Bonneville, Himesh Patel, Peter Serafinowicz, David Tennant, Rob BrydonVOD (1)
Plots(1)
Rats! They’re everywhere... In the breadbins, dancing across the tabletops, stealing pies from under the cook’s noses. So, what does every town need? A good piper to lure them away. That’s where Maurice, a streetwise tomcat with the perfect money-making scam, comes in. Everyone has heard of the stories about the pied piper and the town full of rodents. So, Maurice has found his very own pied piper and a plague of rats to trick gullible townsfolk into giving him lots of cash. All is going well until they arrive in the far-flung village of Bad Blintz where they meet a book obsessed girl called Malicia, who enlists their help to solve the mystery of her town. (Icon Film Distribution)
(more)Reviews (2)
If I hadn't watched the film, I'd have thought this would be a five-star animated hit. A cat named Maurice in the lead, Terry Pratchett's source material, and a medieval German town setting – sounds perfect. But when you actually watch it, you find yourself just lounging, unable to fully immerse in the story. It's a nice, relaxing movie that kids might enjoy, but there's nothing particularly special about it.
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I'm completely untouched by the source material for The Amazing Maurice, and indeed by Terry Pratchett's work, so if the film strayed from his poetics, I couldn't care less. The story itself is essentially a variation on the Pied Piper, but the film rises out of the waters of mediocrity with an unusual narrative style that won't be to the liking of all viewers, but, I found this approach suited me (whether it was the story of Mr. Hopscotch, the breaking down of narrative clichés, or the reflection of the viewer through the characters). Plus, it was nice to see an animated film made outside of the big studios that isn't downright silly or funny and visually stripped down. A weaker four stars!
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