Visually top-notch, storyline weak

Rating: 6/10 (10 September 2008)

I am a Pixar fan. No doubt. They are second to none, doing what they do. The imagery of Rataouille is simply stunning, the people at Pixar have done it again: They've surpassed themselves. All surfaces so beautifully textured adding a strong sense of realism to the surreal universe that's computer animated movies. And the movements of the characters are so very alive, and it all looks so easy. But anybody with even the smallest interest in animation will tell you, it is not.
The storyline, however, is IMHO definitely one of Pixar's weakest. It's not completely without merit, though. Where most of the characters left me somewhat indifferent, the food critic Anton Ego, for instance, was subject to a most compelling portrayal. Sadly, he was only a minor character. The biggest problem with the story of Ratatouille was, for me, however, not in the characters, but in the mere fact, that I didn't laugh. Now, compared with earlier Pixar movies like Toy Story, Monsters Inc. and my all-time favorite The Incredibles, that all had me laughing loud & heartily from start to finish, this seemed to lack the trade-mark Pixar humor.