All the previous Roland and Rattfink cartoons ranged from pretty good ('A Pair of Sneakers', 'Robin Goodhood' and 'War and Pieces', haven't though rated any of the series' cartoons above a 7) and mixed feelings ('Hurts and Flowers', 'A Taste of Money' and 'The Foul Kin'). None, and the whole Roland and Rattfink series in fact, fitting in either extreme of awful or classic, and most have been rated 5 and 6 by me. So the series is watchable but it never completely clicked.
'Trick or Retreat', with three cartoons left to go until the series ended, is another one of the mixed feelings Roland and Rattfink cartoons and embodies pretty much what worked in the lesser cartoons in the series and what didn't. While 'Trick or Retreat' is definitely worth a one-time watch, there isn't really enough for it to warrant repeat viewings and for me it's one of the lesser cartoons in the second half (post-'The Foul Kin'), the weakest since 'The Foul Kin' (before the series temporarily took a step in the right direction) and one of my least favourites overall.
It definitely has its good things. The music is charmingly cheerful, its jazziness infectious and it doesn't sound cheap or like it didn't belong (fitting with the cartoon's, and series' overall even, tone). There are some amusing moments in the early portions, namely in Rattfink's dialogue. Rattfink is good fun, and a large part of me really wishes that there was more of him.
Lennie Weinrib got more confident over time in making Roland and Rattfink more individual, and that confidence shows here. Especially as Rattfink, where he relishes the snideness which 'Trick or Retreat' does better in the writing department here. The first half is better than the second, as there is more conflict. Though the best part is actually the gunpowder in the pipe bit.
However, the story underwhelms. Not only being very predictable, very standard Roland and Rattfink in a done to death way, but paper thin and routine. The second half post-Rattfink's defeat is pretty dull, with nothing really funny or interesting, and feels one minute too long. Actually 'Trick or Retreat' could have ended when Rattfink disappeared (too early and in a pretty rushed way not much different from other Rattfink defeats). There is very little that is particularly funny here, the too little there is and almost all to do with Rattfink are only amusing and are quite derivative.
Roland is likeable enough and in a type of role that sounded ideal for him, but he is rather one-note and while his typically well-intentioned dialogue is true to character it is quite generic and not much different than his dialogue in the other cartoons in the series. Some vibrant colours aside, the budget and time constraints are fairly evident here, the animation does look rushed and careless with only Rattfink and his reactions being particularly well drawn. Like Roland, the Indian characters are okay but not much more and more interesting material would have helped.
Summing, alright but nothing special. 5/10
'Trick or Retreat', with three cartoons left to go until the series ended, is another one of the mixed feelings Roland and Rattfink cartoons and embodies pretty much what worked in the lesser cartoons in the series and what didn't. While 'Trick or Retreat' is definitely worth a one-time watch, there isn't really enough for it to warrant repeat viewings and for me it's one of the lesser cartoons in the second half (post-'The Foul Kin'), the weakest since 'The Foul Kin' (before the series temporarily took a step in the right direction) and one of my least favourites overall.
It definitely has its good things. The music is charmingly cheerful, its jazziness infectious and it doesn't sound cheap or like it didn't belong (fitting with the cartoon's, and series' overall even, tone). There are some amusing moments in the early portions, namely in Rattfink's dialogue. Rattfink is good fun, and a large part of me really wishes that there was more of him.
Lennie Weinrib got more confident over time in making Roland and Rattfink more individual, and that confidence shows here. Especially as Rattfink, where he relishes the snideness which 'Trick or Retreat' does better in the writing department here. The first half is better than the second, as there is more conflict. Though the best part is actually the gunpowder in the pipe bit.
However, the story underwhelms. Not only being very predictable, very standard Roland and Rattfink in a done to death way, but paper thin and routine. The second half post-Rattfink's defeat is pretty dull, with nothing really funny or interesting, and feels one minute too long. Actually 'Trick or Retreat' could have ended when Rattfink disappeared (too early and in a pretty rushed way not much different from other Rattfink defeats). There is very little that is particularly funny here, the too little there is and almost all to do with Rattfink are only amusing and are quite derivative.
Roland is likeable enough and in a type of role that sounded ideal for him, but he is rather one-note and while his typically well-intentioned dialogue is true to character it is quite generic and not much different than his dialogue in the other cartoons in the series. Some vibrant colours aside, the budget and time constraints are fairly evident here, the animation does look rushed and careless with only Rattfink and his reactions being particularly well drawn. Like Roland, the Indian characters are okay but not much more and more interesting material would have helped.
Summing, alright but nothing special. 5/10
