I'm surprised at all the negativity surrounding 'The Tale of Despereaux'. I found it to be quite a charming little story that has heart, humour, adventure and action. The animation is terrific, very detailed and colourful. The distinction between Mouseworld and Ratworld is brilliant. The story could have been a little more coherent but it rounds up well in the end. With names like Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick, Frances Conroy, Tracey Ullman, Kevin Kline, Richard Jenkins, Tony Hale, William H. Macy, Robbie Coltrane, Frank Langella and Christopher Lloyd, 'The Tale of Despereaux' boasts of an enviable cast. In addition, Sigourney Weaver's narration is superb. However, using Emma Watson's voice for one of the lead roles is a mistake. It was terrible and she makes Princess Pea sound whiny. Many seem to complain about the film regarding its suitability to children because of themes like revenge, treachery, death etc but why start complaining now if similar themes have been depicted in classics like 'The Lion King', 'Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs' etc? What better way than this to teach kids the value of saying 'I am sorry' and the difference that can make?
Review of The Tale of Despereaux
