This movie came with the highest recommendation from my friend who insisted that I should watch it. I missed it when it was released and I was not too eager to see a family live/animated drama about two simpletons who want to get rid of the mouse in the house but in the traditions of Tom and Jerry or Home Alone always get outsmarted by a much smaller but smarter, quicker and unpredictably creative opponent. But hey, when someone whose opinion I respect tells me that it is one of the greats and I must keep my expectations high, I at least should check it out and see for myself. The fact that it is included in many viewers' Top 10 lists like BIG TIME SLEEPERS, Forgotten Gems, and Laugh-out-Loud actually added to my interest and anticipation. Besides, any movie with Christopher Walken doing what he does best - a crazed, creepy, and funny character, is a must see.
So the story is simple - once there was a mouse, a very smart mouse that lived in an old mansion alone. One day, two brothers (rather losers) who inherited the house found out that it was a forgotten architectural masterpiece worth of millions. They wanted to sell, the mouse wanted to stay -thus the epic Mousehunt began. I am happy to report that I had a truly wonderful time watching the movie. It is darkly funny and creative. It combines live action and animation masterfully and seamlessly, and one hilarious scene runs after another without any pause culminating in the auction sequence that was made as an astounding mixture of slapstick comedy and disaster movie. Another favorite scene was at the animal shelter where Ernie (Nathan Lane) and Lars (Lee Evans) wanted to get the meanest scariest cat, "and preferably with a history of mental illness. I'm talking' one mean pussy", in short -not just a cat but Catzilla. Christopher Walken's exterminator who took his job very seriously by trying to get inside the mouse's mind and to think how the mouse thinks, delivered a delightful cameo. I also think that the movie benefits tremendously from its timeless look meaning that we don't know in what decade of the last century it takes place but that's exactly what makes it universal. It won't look outdated for many years from now.
The film was a first feature for its director Gore Verbinski, who had stunned millions of TV-viewers in 1993 when he created now legendary Budweiser commercial featuring three croaking frogs, for which he was awarded the advertising Silver Lion at Cannes and also received four Clio Awards. Verbinski then delighted the whole world with three (well, he delighted this viewer - with two) films of Pirates of Caribbean. For some reasons, Mouse hunt received controversial and rather harsh reviews from the critics that accused the film of not been able to find a target audience and not creating any characters the public could identify with and root for. I believe it is a great film for the whole family, and it talks about serious mattes while entertains. I was fascinated by the clever inventive little mouse, and the movie kept my interest and child-like joy until the very end. Even the fact that the premise of the movie in not new or original did not make it any worse. Lane and Evans are very funny together, and the movie is a work of art from the enormously visually and sound talented director, his cast, and his production team.
9/9.5
So the story is simple - once there was a mouse, a very smart mouse that lived in an old mansion alone. One day, two brothers (rather losers) who inherited the house found out that it was a forgotten architectural masterpiece worth of millions. They wanted to sell, the mouse wanted to stay -thus the epic Mousehunt began. I am happy to report that I had a truly wonderful time watching the movie. It is darkly funny and creative. It combines live action and animation masterfully and seamlessly, and one hilarious scene runs after another without any pause culminating in the auction sequence that was made as an astounding mixture of slapstick comedy and disaster movie. Another favorite scene was at the animal shelter where Ernie (Nathan Lane) and Lars (Lee Evans) wanted to get the meanest scariest cat, "and preferably with a history of mental illness. I'm talking' one mean pussy", in short -not just a cat but Catzilla. Christopher Walken's exterminator who took his job very seriously by trying to get inside the mouse's mind and to think how the mouse thinks, delivered a delightful cameo. I also think that the movie benefits tremendously from its timeless look meaning that we don't know in what decade of the last century it takes place but that's exactly what makes it universal. It won't look outdated for many years from now.
The film was a first feature for its director Gore Verbinski, who had stunned millions of TV-viewers in 1993 when he created now legendary Budweiser commercial featuring three croaking frogs, for which he was awarded the advertising Silver Lion at Cannes and also received four Clio Awards. Verbinski then delighted the whole world with three (well, he delighted this viewer - with two) films of Pirates of Caribbean. For some reasons, Mouse hunt received controversial and rather harsh reviews from the critics that accused the film of not been able to find a target audience and not creating any characters the public could identify with and root for. I believe it is a great film for the whole family, and it talks about serious mattes while entertains. I was fascinated by the clever inventive little mouse, and the movie kept my interest and child-like joy until the very end. Even the fact that the premise of the movie in not new or original did not make it any worse. Lane and Evans are very funny together, and the movie is a work of art from the enormously visually and sound talented director, his cast, and his production team.
9/9.5