When a mouse is captured by a lion he tries to talk his way out of it – with an offer to find better food being the only deal he can make. Returning with fruit doesn't cut it, so the mouse is allowed to go further (while tied to a piece of cord) to get some more choice options. This is a nice little tale which recalls nursery rhymes and fables where the mouse is pitched against a much larger creature. In this case the events play out in a rather odd way since it appears the mouse is not so much a hero of the short film as he is an "out for myself" type, happy to throw others to the lions in return for his freedom (literally).
The conclusion salvages this and we are allowed to end the short with the mouse on the up and the lion outwitted, but it does feel a little bit like it happened by chance rather than being a master plan. Personally it would have been a better fable if the plan of the mouse had been a clearer thing that was done on purpose to get to the conclusion, not just by chance, however it still works. The silhouette animation work very well, making the mouse feel very small to the black figure of the lion; I also like the richness and yet simplicity of the colors and the shapes.
It has some issues in the narrative but generally it was a pleasing little fable with the traditional dynamics.
The conclusion salvages this and we are allowed to end the short with the mouse on the up and the lion outwitted, but it does feel a little bit like it happened by chance rather than being a master plan. Personally it would have been a better fable if the plan of the mouse had been a clearer thing that was done on purpose to get to the conclusion, not just by chance, however it still works. The silhouette animation work very well, making the mouse feel very small to the black figure of the lion; I also like the richness and yet simplicity of the colors and the shapes.
It has some issues in the narrative but generally it was a pleasing little fable with the traditional dynamics.
