Garfield, the lazy orange cat, has his priorities set – from the very first time he smells, sees, tastes a pizza and falls in love with food, to all the way growing up where he has made “enjoying the act of eating” a non-negotiable part of living. He loves eating, sleeping…. and lazing around the house while it isn’t doing the other two.
Garfield (voiced by Chris Pratt) is a Monday-hating, lasagna-loving, no-nonsense pet cat who is busy living, minding his own business without harming a soul, making him an instantly likable character. His purr-fect life, however, is disrupted after an unexpected reunion with his long-lost father – scruffy street cat Vic (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson) – embroils him in his father’s personal feud. Garfield and his canine friend Odie are now forced from their perfectly pampered life into joining Vic in an unusual heist to get themselves out of the mess.
Columbia Pictures’ (a Sony company) 3D animated feature The Garfield Movie is produced by Alcon Entertainment & Prime Focus Studios, and animated by DNEG. Based on The Garfield characters created by Jim Davis, the 100-minute film is directed by Mark Dindal, with DNEG’s Jason Boose as animation director.
The Garfield Movie has touched upon several aspects – a homely cat struggling to adjust to life on streets, a domestic cat learning the ways of a stray, the clumsiness of a domestic cat who is trying to outsmart experienced strays – but like its protagonist, the film is reluctant to make extra effort and is satisfied with just enough. The animated film could have been sassy in an intelligent sort of way, but settles instead for a massy entertainer that explores everything just a little for the sake of the story.
Animated films that lack in plot complexity try to make it up by being preachy, and thankfully, The Garfield Movie does not follow that custom. While it does have a father-son relationship at its core, it never wavers from its foremost mission: to entertain the audience. And in that it scores a 100 on 100 – with a perfect mix of sarcasm, slapstick humour, adventure, action, villainy and buffoonery.
The story is entertaining and predictable with no surprises in store. Do not expect witty dialogues and satisfying plot twists, because there are none. But do expect to be smitten by this kitten; Garfield is a beautifully written and superbly animated character who does not falter in behaviour and characteristics throughout the story. He is shamelessly open about being lethargic, doesn’t have a care in the world, but is not without a heart, making him almost human-like and relatable. It’s fair to say that his character arc toward the end gives life to the film and makes it complete.
Aiding Garfield in his heist is his master Jon’s other pet Odie, a sharp, nimble and quick-witted dog. While Odie is a partner in crime for anything Garfield does (be it waking up for midnight cravings or executing a plan), and he shines as Garfield’s smart counterpart in accomplishing their mission, one cannot ignore how as a best friend, he stays strong by the tabby’s side through the latter’s emotional phases.
Uplifting the spirit of the film significantly is also the 3D animation by DNEG Animation, the studio known for its groundbreaking work on animated feature Nimona and animated series Entergalactic. DNEG Animation has created adorable and funny moments throughout the runtime of The Garfield Movie. The baby Garfield seducing Jon into adopting him, the cats (Garfield and his father Vic) making a joke of themselves by miserably failing a fitness test, the heist trio escaping from the dairy products department of a factory, and the climax sequence on a train are all wonderfully crafted memorable moments.
The style switches to 2D in a few parts during the storytelling. These bits have darker shades that are distinct from the vibrant hues seen in 3D, and justifies the serious and somewhat sad angles that the story communicates. In any case, it is equally appetising to watch.
The Garfield Movie hits the ball out of the park at two fronts – 1) staying true to the cat-character from the comics, and 2) succeeding in creating a high-quality CG feature that brings families and children to theatres for a thorough entertainment. So if you want to enjoy a fun movie that does not force you to reflect after a tiring week, this is it.
With screenplay by Paul A. Kaplan & Mark Torgove and David Reynolds, The Garfield Movie is produced by John Cohen, Broderick Johnson, Andrew A. Kosove, Steven P. Wegner, Craig Sost and Namit Malhotra. Additional voice cast includes Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong, Harvey Guillén, Brett Goldstein and Bowen Yang. The movie opens in Indian theatres on 17 May, and in the USA on 24 May.
