The animated film “Maurice the fabulous cat” adapted from the work of English author Terry Pratchett is released this Wednesday in our theaters. To see with the family from 6 years old.
RECOMMENDED FROM 6 YEARS OLD
Once upon a time : Maurice the fabulous cat arrives in a new city, with his friends the rats. One goal: to rip everyone off, then purr over a cozy pile of gold coins.
But when they arrive, mysterious and magical events disturb their plan. Nothing goes as planned and they decide to investigate. So begins a great adventure for this hairy little band!
What they will love: After Puss in Boots, another red cat is coming to the cinema! Adapted from the youth novel, The fabulous Maurice and his expert rodentswhich is part of the thirty adventures of the saga of Terry Pratchett, The Discworld AnnalsMaurice the Fabulous Cat parodies the tale of the Brothers Grimm The Pied Piper of Hamelin.
The heroes Keith, Maurice and their clever rat friends (thanks to a potion found in the bins of a magic school) have a well-honed modus operandi that allows them to rip off the various villages they pass through.
But when they arrive in Badigoince, nothing goes as planned. From their meeting with the literary Malicia to the final confrontation with the big bad, Maurice the Fabulous Cat is a real investigative film.
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Mauritius
The rats – usually presented as dirty and repulsive animals – are clever and endearing here and will amuse the youngest.
The colorful graphics and lively music take us through the cobbled streets of this typical German village in the footsteps of the Rat King (a group of rats tied by their tails who are believed to have supernatural powers).
Director Toby Genkel (Oops! I missed the ark…) specifies in the film’s press kit: “We were keen to create a work that is in no way inferior to the original book.
I’m impressed with how Pratchett manages to be flippant, light-hearted, yet at the same time uncompromising, critical, and daring. (…) Such brilliantly written characters need actors to match.”
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Maurice and the rats
What may worry them: Quite dense, the film includes some somewhat dark scenes, in particular the fights organized between the rats and the dogs. The Rat King can scare the youngest, just like the Pied Piper.
Toby Genkel explains about this: “We didn’t try to hide the darker elements of the story. But, when our hero is in danger, Pratchett’s comedic twists allow audiences to laugh at Maurice’s pranks or rat-catching minions, which are more ridiculous than menacing..”
The feature film consists of different layers. Besides the story of Maurice and his learned rats, the film refers to the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin and has as common thread the work The Adventures of Mr Rabbit. This profusion of stories can sometimes lose the youngest.
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Rogue
What they will keep inside them: Maurice the fabulous cat is a work cartoony on understanding others and rejection.
The feature film also praises literature, in particular via the character of Rogue. Always with her nose in her novels, the young girl helps viewers understand that all you need to do is open a book to travel and experience great adventures.
Go to the cinema to see this great adventure and to bookstores to discover the original works of Terry Pratchett.