The Best CGI Animated Film Ever Created

Rating: 10/10 (5 July 2007)

As everyone knows, Pixar set the industry standard for CGI feature films when it released the groundbreaking "Toy Story" in 1995. In hindsight, it's quite astonishing how high they managed to set the bar for all such future films. There have been other commercial successes that have come close to matching the irrefutable charm and appeal of "Toy Story"  "Finding Nemo", "Shrek", "The Incredibles"  but, however formidable these films proved to be, it's hard to beat a true original.
But it's not impossible. If you liked any of the above-mentioned films, you'll absolutely love Pixar's latest masterwork, "Ratatouille". If you saw a couple of CGI films that were real stinkers and gave up on the genre, give this one a try. It is guaranteed to refocus the entirety of your misconceptions.
"Ratatouille" is about, well, a rat  Remy (Patton Oswalt)  whose ambitious culinary aspirations challenge the rat world's status quo, it being that rats are meant to live in fear of humans, make their homes underground, and sustain themselves on garbage. After being separated from his family and friends, Remy happens upon an unusual opportunity to scratch his itch. He teams up with a hapless, incompetent, aspiring chef, Linguini (Lou Romano), through whom he discovers a way to create dishes with a clever, complex hair-pulling control system underneath Linguini's chef hat  a very fascinating mutualistic symbiosis wherein Linguini appears to be a top-notch French chef and Remy gets to live out his lifelong dream.
Writer and Director Brad Bird ("The Incredibles", "Iron Giant") removes any doubt as to his ability to tell his stories through strong character-driven, detail-oriented tapestries that venture well beyond what one might expect from an animated children's story. Through subtlety, he infuses the story with charm and heart, such as when Remy, when asked by Linguini whether or not he can cook, responds by shrugging his shoulders sheepishly yet conceitedly  a simple but nonetheless telling gesture. Bird's fantastic script is executed brilliantly by a talented array of actors who all give strong performances.
"Ratatouille" has a very particular and appealing sly, refined sense of humor delivered admirably through the use of heavy slapstick and expression. It's a fish-out-of-water tale to be sure sure, but a delightfully original and entertaining one, and certainly not one to be defined by only one such constraining designation. The story's heart and soul stem from the facing of new challenges  looking beyond one's own horizon and gathering the courage to pursue new things. It's concrete proof that a kids' flick can be accessible to its target audience while also being cerebral and unpredictable. My main qualm with the preceding animated feature  "Surf's Up"  was that despite nice visuals and great voice acting, there was little originality in the storyline. That is, it lacked unpredictability and there were more than the acceptable amount of kids'-movie clichés, whereas "Ratatouille" noticeably lacks such clichés as, for example, weird, accessory-sidekicks or just-a-little-too-perfect protagonists. Flawless protagonists are one-dimensional for the most part, and it's difficult to ignore such blatant disregard for the storytelling process while watching such a character carry on. Remy, in contrast, is cute and likable, sure; but at times he is also, among other things, abrasive, apprehensive, and retributive  attributes that in and of themselves give depth to his personality and contribute to the vitality of his character.
There's always at least one movie that really sticks in kids' minds throughout their lives. "The Lion King", "The Little Mermaid", "Cinderella", or "Toy Story" are all clear possibilities, of course. In this, the age of budget-busting CGI fests, gore movies, and monotonous kids' flicks, it's more than a genuine treat when a picture like "Ratatouille" hits the big screen. A charmer for all ages, it's a one-of-a-kind, can't miss experience. Pixar has finally  *finally*  outdone themselves with this one. "Ratatouille" has set a new standard for family-oriented CGI romp movies and kid-based storytelling.
It is rare for a reviewer to endow an animated feature with the word "masterpiece". The last time that description rolled off my tongue and into a review, I had just finished watching the wonderful "Pan's Labyrinth". No animated movie I've ever seen has deserved such a prominent title. Until now, that is. It's not really that shocking when you think about it. Truly fine art deserves the highest recognition, and this reviewer encourages you to go and see why "Ratatouille" is the best CGI animated film ever made.
Grade: 6/6 ("Transcendent")