When a tiny kitten is abandoned by his father and left alone in an alleyway in the rain, he discovers a restaurant serving hot pasta and pizza. Sitting all alone inside the restaurant is Jon (Nicholas Hoult). By luck, Jon discovers the tiny orange kitten outside the restaurant window and invites him inside, keeping him warm and dry. The pair soon share a meal, and Jon adopts the small cat, naming him Garfield.
Today, Garfield (Chris Pratt) spends his day being lazy, eating large portions of lasagna, and enjoying living indoors. Along for the ride are Jon and Odie (Harvey Guillén), a dog that Jon adopted. However, one evening, when Garfield goes to the fridge, he and Odie are captured and taken away from their home. Taken to a secret location, they are tied upside down until Garfield’s dad, Vic (Samuel L. Jackson), unexpectedly arrives at the scene, hoping to rescue them. Unfortunately, his plan does not go as he hoped. To their surprise, the mastermind behind the kidnapping was a large white cat named Jinx (Hannah Waddingham), who kidnapped Garfield and Odie to lure Vic out of hiding. It turns out that Jinx and Vic have a past involving crime and living on the streets. Now, Jinx is seeking revenge and wants to settle an outstanding debt. Garfield, Odie, and Vic are now on a seemingly impossible top-secret mission to steal a large quantity of milk or something else. Along the way, Garfield and his crew will seek help from other animals, and Garfield and Vic will have to confront their unresolved issues, leading to a heartwarming and unexpected resolution.
The Garfield Movie is a new addition to the popular comic series and is separate from the 2004 and 2006 live-action Garfield films. This animated feature is directed by Mark Dindal, known for directing The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) and Chicken Little (2005). The movie offers a fresh perspective on the beloved Garfield character.
Right from the film’s opening, I was impressed and stunned by the visuals. There are strong colours, clarity, and sharpness, and it perfectly looked like what I expected a Garfield cartoon to look like. Human characters, including Jon, are perfectly designed, and nothing surrounding this topic can be faulted for the entire duration. The voice work also exceeded my expectations, with actor Chris Pratt again shining in animation voice work. Samuel L. Jackson as Vic was well cast and enjoyable, given his energy and playfulness throughout.
However, apart from enjoyable voice work and flawless visuals, The Garfield Movie has a lazy and weak story, like a fat cat. I found myself disengaged, bored and uninterested in Garfield’s journey and mission to steal lots of milk. Transitions between scenes were baffling and rushed. The comedy was a major misfire. Gags were often random and repeated or overstayed their welcome. Some jokes left me wanting to hide in my seat and cringe.
As a family film, I found some moments somewhat surprising but disturbing. This included an attempted gag in which the film’s villain, Jinx (who is also annoying), kills a bird by eating it, which seems out of place for a family/ children’s animated feature. Another odd aspect is, in fact, the mission. The story appears to be a mash-up of the Mission: Impossible films, made stronger by the fact the film features the voicework of Ving Rhames, who is well-known for starring in the action franchise. Gags about Top Gun and even a comment about Tom Cruise’s completely real stunts are thrown in for no purpose. Were these gags done because Tom Cruise is a Garfield fan? Well, who cares?
Overall, The Garfield Movie has a strong visual and voice cast, making it a decent animated feature. However, the plot is disappointing and feels like a messy lasagna. It’s unfortunate to see a film based on such a well-known property be so uninteresting, annoying, and dull. The jokes miss the mark and struggle to be genuinely funny. I had high hopes for this movie, but sadly, it seems that it will be a while before audiences get a Garfield film that lives up to the expectations of fans and newcomers.
The Garfield Movie (20tralian Cinemas from May 30th!
4.3/10
26th May 2024
Written by Peter Walkden
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