The Tale of DespereauxMovie Reviews

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• So-so
  Written January 20, 2009

  The Tale of Despereaux

  by conradwsba1

  This movie was okay. Good at some parts. I would recomend this movie.

  • 77 out of 86 found this review helpful.
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  Written December 24, 2008

  ?THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX? -- A Mouse shows the Power of No-Cower =

  by jimchudnow

  This is the animated story of an unusual little mouse with super big ears named Despereaux (voiced by MATTHEW BRODERICK). The other mice see him as somewhat odd because, rather than ?cower? about things as they?ve been taught to do, he instead has an outgoing, fearless and brave attitude towards the world around him. Rat Roscuro (voiced by DUSTIN HOFFMAN) plays a discontented and role-shifting character as the cause of sadness in the kingdom, and servant girl Miggery Sow (voiced by TRACEY ULLMAN) lives an equally unhappy role in the palace. The human characters have the angularity and bulbousness of Dreamworks-type animation, while the animals have a wonderful, sophisticated sense of movement and character. While I found the story somewhat convoluted and weak in parts (& possibly scary to some very young kids), there?s an infectious enthusiasm of all involved, and thus you?ll be likely to enjoy seeing why the tag line ?Small Hero. Big Heart.? is very appropriate.

  • 44 out of 75 found this review helpful.
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  Written December 27, 2008

  cute movie a bit of shrek slides in

  by cyndifox

  we werw 3 children 6,7,and 11 all enjoyed it. 7 yr old thought it went to fast. my husband and i thought beginning slow. my 11 yr old said the beginning didn't make much sense.
  
  but all did enjoy it

  • 9 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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  Written January 23, 2009

  i was surprized!

  by GreenShorts

  my family and i went and saw this movie for my little brother and i was shocked on how good it was, the plot was like any kids movie, the voices went well with the animations, great visuals, this a good family movie so take the kids when ever you get a chance, one thing tho the nose of emma watson's character bugged me so bad, that was the only bad part

  • 15 out of 21 found this review helpful.
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• Oh No!
  Written December 22, 2008

  Moody, Dark, Dreary...this is a Christmas Release???

  by aldyn1

  Unbelievably slow, dark, dreary, and altogether miserable! I am an artist/illustrator and animator, so have great respect for the medium, and am blessed to have twin four and a half year old daughters who share my joy in going to see the latest animated features...not to mention, I'm familiar with the book! I know it's not a joyful book by any means, but this movie was so QUIET, and slow and damned depressing, I can't believe this was a Xmas release?! A hushed silence...awkward...fell over the crowd as the movie ended (here in Chicago), because there was just no joy there...and by all intents, it was a "happy" ending. But scary rats, mean people. hostage taking, heart attacks and death, depression and sadness overwhelmed the movie. From a storytelling standpoint, it was disjointed, not on par with the book, the characters were not well-developed, nor were their actions justified from scene to scene (esp. Roscuro's good-to-bad-to-good journey). Utterly disappointed with this film.

  • 7 out of 8 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written December 27, 2008

  The kids and grandparents loved it!

  by dreamshot

  It's a fairy tale, in the spirit of the Brothers Grimm. Sad things happen, bad things happen, and there's a moral there if you choose to walk away with it.
  
  My kids (8 and 6 years old) both loved it, and couldn't stop talking about the scenes they enjoyed most. My parents came with us, and I was curious if my father (NOT the fairy tale type) would like it. I needn't have worried, Dad truly enjoyed it.
  
  I can't understand the negative reviews. The pacing was just right, the scenes were dark only when necessary, the animation was first-rate and the story was touching.
  
  I suppose in the age of gaudy, eye-blistering graphics this movie is out of place, but I am very pleased that I took the family to see this.

  • 7 out of 8 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written December 25, 2008

  Good moral story

  by blhutton

  This was a really good family movie. The characters were great. And it taught a very good moral. Forgiveness! There is not a lot of forgiveness in the world and I don't believe many kids get taught the importance of it.

  • 7 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written December 19, 2008

  good movie

  by Cinamaniac

  It teaches you to fallow your dreams.. dont let parents hold u back~

  • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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  Written December 20, 2008

  Tale of Deperaux

  by ksprice0577

  I really enjoyed the movie. "My kids really enjoyed it too.

  • 5 out of 6 found this review helpful.
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• Must Go!
  Written January 16, 2009

  Kids loved it, so did i

  by morenomarried2kids

  I took my two young boys to see this movie, and expected to just sit through another boring kids movie so that my kids could enjoy themselves. I actually ended up caught up in the story, and I liked the fact that the characters were complex and showed my boys that things are not just black and white. Good people, (or rats) can have bad moments and make bad decisions, and the same is true for supposedly 'bad' individuals. I'm glad that they saw that life is not simple, but that the decisions you make are very important to not only you, but to others as well. Good lesson, good movie.

  • 9 out of 14 found this review helpful.
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• So-so
  Written December 29, 2008

  Not for young children

  by mcintire family

  I recommend that children under 8 not see this movie. It is a dark movie with frightening scenes. For those who read the book, you will find some changes. A huge scary cat, skulls, a slew of hungry rats. An interesting story but not outstanding and certainly not for the youngest viewers.

  • 7 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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  Written December 29, 2008

  Despereaux

  by lido14

  We saw this with my son's class. It was fun being there with all those kids! They had read the book in school so then went to see the movie. It was cute. My 8 year old son loved it and said it was 'the best movie ever". I wouldn't go that far but I did enjoy it. People were saying it was dark, but from what my son tells me the book was darker. Sometimes that makes a good story. As long as there's a good lesson and a happy ending.

  • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  Written December 31, 2008

  Good Movie...

  by Buster Blue

  I went to see this today in the afternoon... I have to say im not really in to these kinds of movies but it was great. I like how there is the mouse community on the street level and the rats are down below. They treat that mouse so mean in this movie all because he is brave... lolz, that isnt nice! The story line was also great! I would recomend seeing this movie.

  • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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• Oh No!
  Written January 1, 2009

  Desperaux is not for small children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  by Moviemomx39

  I took my daughters ages 5 and 3 to see this movie today. What a disappointment!! It was too scary and the overall theme too dark and morbid. The main plot revolved around death, pirate rats and revenge. Some scenes reminded me of Pirates of the Carribbean 3 which was equally distrubing. Furthermore, this cartoon was overly violent.
  
  My children asked to leave the theater before the end of the movie. That about says it all. I want a refund.

  • 9 out of 14 found this review helpful.
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• Oh No!
  Written December 22, 2008

  Despereaux is desperately transparent

  by irisintherain

  Beginning with the transparent opening message-anything that is natural should not be illegal-right on through the entire dark and dismal setting, this is no place for a young child to spend 90 minutes of their very impressionable time.
  
  The marketing promises a darling little mouse (Despereaux) in a light-filled swashbuckling atmosphere. What you get is a thinly veiled adult-themed message movie that has no real meat to the story or real development of its characters.
  
  I went with five adults and three children, ages 11, 8, and 6.
  The six year old was scared throughout the entire first half-not usual for him. The 11 and 8 year old liked how cute Despereaux was when he was born.
  
  The adults ranging from atheist college instructor of political science, two doctors, a filmaker with his own production company to a religious elementary school teacher all, without exception, thought the movie was depressing and too dark for children.
  
  Gotta have rodents? See Ratatouille!
  

  • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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