Ratatouille
Ratatouille
Remy, a resident of Paris, appreciates good food and has quite a sophisticated palate. He would love to become a chef so he can create and enjoy culinary masterpieces to his heart's delight. The only problem is, Remy is a rat. When he winds up in the sewer beneath one of Paris' finest restaurants, the rodent gourmet finds himself ideally placed to realize his dream.
Manuel Frangis reviewedMarch 21, 2025
I just watched Ratatouille again and I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. It is a well made animated movie with great visuals and a unique premise but it does not grab me the way other Pixar movies do. While I can appreciate what it is going for the pacing and story do not keep me as engaged as I would like.
The story follows Remy a rat who has a passion for cooking and dreams of becoming a chef. That idea alone is creative and Pixar does a great job bringing it to life with their signature animation style. The movie takes you deep into the world of fine dining with stunning visuals of food and restaurant life. The attention to detail in the kitchen scenes is one of the best parts of the movie making it feel as realistic as an animated film about a cooking rat can be.
Remy is a likable main character with a lot of heart and ambition. His love for food is clear from the start and his determination to follow his dream is inspiring. His character arc is well done and he definitely stands out as one of Pixar’s more unique protagonists.
Linguini the clumsy and awkward kitchen worker adds a lot of comedic moments. His dynamic with Remy is interesting and creates some funny and heartfelt scenes. However he is not the most memorable Pixar character and at times he feels more like a plot device than a fully developed character.
The animation in Ratatouille is beautiful. Every frame is filled with incredible detail from the textures of the food to the way the kitchen operates. Pixar really outdid themselves in making everything look stunning. The way Remy moves through the city and the kitchen is creative and adds a lot of energy to the movie.
The humor is hit or miss. There are some genuinely funny moments and physical comedy that works well but there are also parts that feel slower and not as engaging. Compared to other Pixar movies like Toy Story or The Incredibles the comedy does not land as strongly for me.
One of the biggest issues I have with Ratatouille is the pacing. The movie feels slower than most Pixar films and there are stretches where not much happens. While the visuals are great and the story is unique the pacing makes it feel longer than it needs to be. Some scenes could have been tighter to keep things moving at a better pace.
The message of the movie is great and well executed. It is about following your passion no matter the obstacles and proving that talent can come from anywhere. That part of the movie works really well and gives it a strong emotional core.
The reason I am giving it 3 out of 5 instead of a higher score is that while the movie is well made and visually impressive it does not have the same rewatchability or emotional connection as other Pixar films. The slow pacing and less engaging characters make it one that I do not feel the urge to revisit often.
Overall Ratatouille is a solid animated movie with a creative concept and beautiful animation but for me it is not one of Pixar’s best. It has moments of charm and humor but it does not fully hold my attention the way other Pixar movies do. I liked watching it but it is not a movie I would rush to see again.