Erratic pacing, this movie doesn't know what it wants to be: satire, farce, or melodrama. No matter which mode it is in during any particular scene, it gets it wrong. For instance, there's a running "joke" about the cats that have multiplied to astronomical proportions, taking over the Majestic Hotel. During a fire, there's a funny shot of the cats tearing out of the hotel. Kinda funny. But then there's a shot of a cat stuck in a chandelier, and obviously about to be killed by the flames. Kinda horrific. But then you start thinking -- how did the cat get in a chandelier in a building with 20 foot ceilings? None of the resultant conflict in emotion (laughter, horror, confusion) seem to serve any role in moving the plot forward, nor does the director seem to want you to be torn between two moods. It's just awkwardly written and directed.
Ian Richardson, however, gives a great performance as always.
Ian Richardson, however, gives a great performance as always.