"Ratatouille" Doesn't follow same Pixar formula

Rating: 6/10 (4 July 2007)

Ratitouille, while enjoyable, diverted a bit from the formulas used in the other more-enjoyable Pixar movies. All of the other Pixar films took the audience to a different world other than the human world (i.e. world of toys, bugs, monsters, sea creatures, etc.). However, in "Ratatouille" the rats interact directly with the humans, something not previously seen in the other Pixars. This lacking element of separate worlds between the humans and the focus characters makes it less enjoyable and less connected to the other Pixar movies.
With that said, "Ratatouille" is a fun, clean show that families should go see together. The funny dialog blends in well with the story, and is well-made by "Iron Giant" and "Incredibles" director Brad Bird.
In the film, the main rat longs for a life better than the life of a standard rat. He's able to achieve this goal by interacting with a guy desperate for a job- and not truly a good cook- but acts that way with the help of the rat. In the end, not only does the cook need to keep his job, but regain the restaurant's reputation under the doubtful eyes of a rather harsh and influential journalist. 2.5/4 stars