To say that I did not like this movie would be untrue. I am not against it in the least. However, I still don't if I liked it or if I'm just neutral. I'm an elementary teacher and a bookworm besides, which means I absolutely adore the Newbery Award-winning book. It could be that the book purist part of me is complaining.
Story detail-wise, they really did not change things all that much. When I found myself wondering if such-and-such had happened in the book, I had to reply "well, technically yes." There were a few details and character combinations put in for sake of time, I suppose. Then again, a lot of time in this movie could have been better used. I'll discuss that later for I need to return to the book-adaption itself. Yes, technically, for the most part they stuck to the book. This is not to say that things were not out of order, however, or that things were interpreted the same.
The book is a rather quiet-yet-whimsical adventure. The movie splashed in humor and comedy--which is not a bad thing and I did chuckle at some jokes. However, the entire feeling was different and I guess I just can't get past that. And I would continue to try to do so if it weren't for the blasted aforementioned time thing.
Really, what was with the direction of this movie? The storyline was either all over the place, hopping without warning from character to character and setting to setting or we were watching a stunning piece of gorgeous animation that, despite its beauty, was really slowing down the story.
Now I think I owe it to the movie to be positive (again, I don't dislike it at all). The animation is stunning. There seems to be a slight medieval art inspiration to the characters and setting and it turned out wonderfully. I definitely liked looking at this movie.
I also liked the characters, even as different as they were from their book counterparts. I fell in love with this interpretation of Despereaux. He was brave, he was boyish, he was one adorable little big-eared knight. So what if he never got his tail cut off? I liked Roscuro, though the movie was much more sympathetic to him (he was so much more the villain in the book!) I guess I just liked his nautical ways and maybe felt bad for him. I liked the side characters.
And, honestly, if the direction had been a bit different and I hadn't read the book, I think I would have been very much enchanted by this movie.
Maybe this is one of those movies that grow on you. But I saw it last night, and I'm still a little confused as to just what the film makers were thinking.
Story detail-wise, they really did not change things all that much. When I found myself wondering if such-and-such had happened in the book, I had to reply "well, technically yes." There were a few details and character combinations put in for sake of time, I suppose. Then again, a lot of time in this movie could have been better used. I'll discuss that later for I need to return to the book-adaption itself. Yes, technically, for the most part they stuck to the book. This is not to say that things were not out of order, however, or that things were interpreted the same.
The book is a rather quiet-yet-whimsical adventure. The movie splashed in humor and comedy--which is not a bad thing and I did chuckle at some jokes. However, the entire feeling was different and I guess I just can't get past that. And I would continue to try to do so if it weren't for the blasted aforementioned time thing.
Really, what was with the direction of this movie? The storyline was either all over the place, hopping without warning from character to character and setting to setting or we were watching a stunning piece of gorgeous animation that, despite its beauty, was really slowing down the story.
Now I think I owe it to the movie to be positive (again, I don't dislike it at all). The animation is stunning. There seems to be a slight medieval art inspiration to the characters and setting and it turned out wonderfully. I definitely liked looking at this movie.
I also liked the characters, even as different as they were from their book counterparts. I fell in love with this interpretation of Despereaux. He was brave, he was boyish, he was one adorable little big-eared knight. So what if he never got his tail cut off? I liked Roscuro, though the movie was much more sympathetic to him (he was so much more the villain in the book!) I guess I just liked his nautical ways and maybe felt bad for him. I liked the side characters.
And, honestly, if the direction had been a bit different and I hadn't read the book, I think I would have been very much enchanted by this movie.
Maybe this is one of those movies that grow on you. But I saw it last night, and I'm still a little confused as to just what the film makers were thinking.