Flushed Away Release
Date: November 3, 2006 Studio: DreamWorks Animation Director: Sam Fell, David Bowers
Screenwriter: Dick Clement, Ian LaFrenais Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis,
Bill Nighy, Shane Richie, Jean Reno Genre: Animation, Comedy MPAA Rating: PG (for crude humor and some language) Official Website:
FlushedAway.com
Plot Summary: From DreamWorks Animation and
Aardman Features, the teams behind the Oscar®-winning hits "Shrek" and "Wallace
& Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit," comes the computer-animated comedy
"Flushed Away." Blending Aardman's trademark style and characterizations with
DreamWorks' state-of-the-art computer animation, the film marks a unique new
look for the artform.
In this new comedy set on and beneath the streets of London, Roddy St. James
(Hugh Jackman) is a pampered pet mouse who thinks he's got it made. But when a
sewer rat named Sid (Shane Richie) – the definition of "low life" -- comes
spewing out of the sink and decides it's his turn to enjoy the lap of luxury,
Roddy schemes to rid himself of the pest by luring him into the loo for a dip in
the "whirlpool." Roddy's plan backfires when he inadvertently winds up being the
one flushed away into the bustling world down below. Underground, Roddy
discovers a vast metropolis, where he meets Rita (Kate Winslet), a street-wise
rat who is on a mission of her own. If Roddy is going to get home, he and Rita
will need to escape the clutches of the villainous Toad (Sir Ian McKellen), who
royally despises all rodents and has dispatched two hapless henchrats, Spike
(Andy Serkis) and Whitey (Bill Nighy), as well as his cousin -- that dreaded
mercenary, Le Frog (Jean Reno) – to see that Roddy and Rita are iced… literally.
EN 5 Second Review:
Good flick for the kiddies, but adults may be bored.
Stone
Rises Above Political Gamesmanship Peter Veugelaers:
EntertainmentNutz
I
didn’t have high expectations for the latest collaboration between
Dreamworks Studios and Aardman Animation, since I was disappointed with
their previous Academy Award winning Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the
Were Rabbit.
Pleasantly surprised, this computerised animation, and not claymation -
which marked Aardman’s other features, coupled with innovative humour -
gives Flushed Away a sharp edge over most, if not all, of the
animated features this year. This movie just keeps on getting better.
While the owners of a plush London home are away on holiday, a pet
mouse (unrecognisable voice of Hugh Jackman) encounters a rat (Richie)
who worked his way into the house from the sewer. While trying to get
rid of the rat, the mouse is flushed down a toilet into the sewer, where
an underground world greets him.
The
mouse wants to get back to the comforts of home, but he meets a lady rat
(Winslet), who is praying her family will become better off by procuring
a rare jewel, which the villainous Toad (McKellen) is also intent on
getting his hands on, with the help of henchmen, including a very suave
French cop, Le Frog (Reno).
The
central character doesn’t give you much to care for him at first, but 10
minutes in, he makes all the right moves and never lets down.
Funny and innovative gags and one-liners keep on coming, including a
throwaway gag at the expense of England’s demise at World Cup Soccer,
and the French.
Plot
transitions are imaginatively handled, action sequences are exciting
(with some cartoonish violence), and the voice work is spot on.
Flushed Away stands up proudly among the best, if not the best, of
its kind, this year, because it is fresh.
The
beauty of it is that it is unpretentious, an unassuming ride, whose
cleverness speaks louder than words, and manages to hold interest until
the end. It values (slyly) togetherness and family, in contrast to
loneliness, which is a good theme for family audiences. It is more
suitable for older children, however, because of its sophistication.
"What,
you were expecting originality?" Ty Burr: Boston Globe
Kids will probably be in stinky-sewage heaven with
the new computer-animated critter comedy "Flushed Away," but
even they may realize they're up the proverbial creek in a
boat with a faulty motor. Parents will while away the time
in moderate boredom until the film unexpectedly springs to
life in its midsection, then just as abruptly goes back to
sleep....more
A
rip-roaring nautical adventure with a twist Amazon.com
The
heroes are a pair of rodents
braving the sewers
underneath London. Roddy
(voiced by Hugh Jackman) is
an upper-crust house-mouse
who finds himself flushed
into the subterranean
sewers. Eager to return to
his posh home, he enlists
the help of a boat-captain
rat named Rita (Kate Winslet),
who has troubles of her own;
namely the kingpin of the
underworld, the Toad (Ian
McKellen), and his henchmen
including the French
mercenary Le Frog (Jean
Reno)....more
We would love to know what you think, sound off on the
movie message boards and let us know how you liked the movie!
EN 5 Second Review:
Good flick for the kiddies, but adults may be bored.
"What,
you were expecting originality?"