Key Takeaways:
– The Garfield Movie with Chris Pratt as the titular voice misses the mark on the essence of the feline character.
– The film's storyline is disjointed, creating an incongruous viewing experience for the audience.
– The character's key traits—love for food and laze—are lost, contributing to the film's overall lack of cohesion.
– The animation and treatment of other characters like Jon Arbuckle and Odie leave much to be desired.
– The movie, set to be launched in theaters on May 24, 2024, could divert Pratt's detractors but disappoint long-time Garfield fans.
Falling Prey to a Distorted Characterization
Hollywood seeks to revive yesteryears' beloved characters, but this endeavor has its share of hits and misses. The Garfield Movie, slated to hit theaters on May 24, 2024, appears to be in the latter category. Casting Chris Pratt as the voice behind the ever-hungry, lethargic comic cat, Garfield, seems a surprising decision – post the controversy surrounding his role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
A Mismatched Script and Character Profile
The storyline dabbles in the origin, heist, and family comedy genres—seemingly unsure of its primary direction. It unveils Garfield's abandonment by his ragged alley cat father, Vic, pushing him to join a risky heist. However, the pivot of the entire plot is a clear misunderstanding from the outset. As the movie shifts towards the heist elements, it loses continuity with its previous segment, leading to a disjointed viewing experience. The sporadic, misplaced humor aimed at matured audiences further confuses the movie's targeted viewer group.
The Larger Issue: Defying Character's Essence
The largest issue, however, isn't just the Pratt's ordinary outing as Garfield, but the erratic representation of the iconic character itself. Fans remember Garfield for two fundamental characteristics—distinct love for lasagna and an inherent sense of laziness. The movie's version dramatically veers away from these, portraying Garfield as an active character often neglecting his foodie side—a clear contradiction of his original character arc. These changes make Garfield a largely unrelatable entity.
Performances That Could've Been Better
Pratt's Garfield misses the sarcasm and distinct voice the character possesses. Unimpressive, Pratt delivers lackluster lines with too much enthusiasm that seems anti-Garfield. Samuel L. Jackson, playing Vic, also underperforms and seems disconnected. However, there are saving graces – Ving Rhames as Otto lends a few chuckles with his dry humor, while Harvey Guillen as Odie and Nicholas Hoult as Jon Arbuckle makes decent contributions. Nonetheless, Jon's underutilization and replacement with Vic disturb the classic dynamic, marking yet another discord with the audience's expectations.
Disappointing Animation and Economic Performances
Moreover, the uninspiring animation alienates the audience further, seemingly outdated and lacking creativity. The dull frames lack energy, rendering a lifeless feel to the entire cinematic experience. The film feels more like a streaming production, given its cheap animation and subpar performances.
Conclusively, it seems like The Garfield Movie loses its character essence and fails to exploit its animation capabilities, resulting in an unexciting, disconnected narrative. Pratt's detractors have another field day, while Garfield fans will likely not be feasting on this one.
