Ratchet & Clank

Dir: Kevin Munroe, Jericca Cleland

2016

***

Ratchet & Clank took a beating at the box office upon its release which I think was a little unfair. It was up against tough competition, particularly Zootopia which in my opinion is one of the best films of 2016. It is a shame that the two films were up against each other really as, apart from being poles apart in terms of quality, Ratchet & Clank is still very likable. Based on the highly addictive video game, this 2016 film adaptation certainly doesn't warrant the repeat visits that the game does but it is still miles above many current animations, let alone video game adaptations. The animation is average and the story is nothing out of the ordinary, certain characters are extremely familiar and there really isn't anything new about it, but it does have a certain charm about it. It's a great buddy movie. Ratchet & Clank, a Lombax and a Robot, are incredibly endearing when put together. As playable as the game is, it certainly doesn't have the same on screen magic that the adaptation has as far as the character’s on-screen chemistry goes. The idea is fun but largely unoriginal but the script is full of little jokes that are both clever and genuinely funny. It is primarily for younger kids but there is plenty here for older kids and cinephiles too, Ratchet & Clank containing this years, and maybe even this century's best Wilhelm Scream reference. The voice cast are all well-chosen and include a few surprises such as Paul Giamatti, John Goodman, Rosario Dawson and Sylvester Stallone as well as voice acting heavy-weights David Kaye and James Arnold-Taylor in the title roles. The script is good, a bit punchy you could say, which I found to be a welcome relief for a kids cartoon. It has been done before but I would argue that it hasn't been done as well before, nothing new but certainly not clichéd in any way. Its charm certainly worked on me and I would welcome a sequel, although it looks unlikely. I think the critics have been unnecessarily harsh on poor Ratchet & Clank, it’s fun, exciting, full of adventure and it’s funny. What more could you ask for from a game adaptation? It's certainly better than what we usually get!