Summary
The Garfield Movie
is a colorful, funny CGI version with big laughs and Chris Pratt doing a great job voicing the titular cat.- The film explores Garfield's origin story and immerses him in silly antics and action, pushing him out of his comfort zone. It's a little too silly and juvenile, but still very fun.
- Garfield and the gang face cat gangsters and reckon with family dynamics in this entertaining, yet slightly overlong, adventure.
The Garfield Movie answers the burning question that has bedeviled fans since the Monday-hating, lasagna-loving, tubby orange tabby first graced newspaper comic strips nearly 50 years ago. Where did Garfield come from? How did he end up in the lap of feline luxury, spoiled rotten by a doting owner who caters to his every whim? Garfield gets a delightfully wacky origin story in his first completely CGI animated movie adventure. Garfield's forced off the couch and into the bustling outside world, where he must settle the debt of his long-lost father to an aggrieved Persian kitty gangster.
Vic (Samuel L. Jackson), a wily street cat, places his shivering, wide-eyed orange kitten under a box shelter. He looks nervously around in the pouring rain before racing away into the night. The wet and hungry fur baby perks up as a delicious smell wafts towards him. Jon Arbuckle (Nicholas Hoult) sits alone by the window at his favorite Italian restaurant, wishing he had company. Fate answers with the adorable kitten's face pressed against the window.
Years later, Garfield (Chris Pratt) lazily gets up for his daily routine. He rouses Jon before getting down to the serious business of ordering breakfast. His paws fly through the delivery apps on Jon's phone. Once his tummy's full, the next step is massage and pampering from a dutiful best friend / servant. Odie (Harvey Guillén) springs into action to facilitate Garfield's neediness. It's a tough life, but someone has to live it.
A Hungry Kitty Gets His Origin Story
The Garfield Movie
3/5
Based on Jim Davis's comic series, Garfield is a new imagining of the lasagna-loving cat and his friends, opting for a fully computer-animated approach. Chris Pratt voices the titular cat, with the film aiming to explore his early days and new misadventures for him, his friends, and his family.
- Release Date
- May 24, 2024
- Studio
- Alcon Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, Paws
- A colorful and funny CGI version of Garfield, with lots of big laughs.
- Chris Pratt does a very good job, and it's smart to explore Garfield's origin story.
- It's great to see Odie more involved, and the movie's message of found family is sweet.
- The Garfield Movie is definitely more juvenile and silly than other iterations. It also drags on a bit too long.
Garfield's laid-back afternoon is interrupted by a spy hovering in a nearby tree. A quick investigation, with Odie doing most of the work, reveals a cat Garfield thought he'd never see again. Garfield isn't happy to see Vic. Why should he care anything about the father that abandoned him? Garfield doesn't want to hear any excuses, but he can't just shoo Vic away. A feline gangster named Jinx (Hannah Waddingham) has discovered Vic's big secret. She's hot under the collar for some furry payback. Garfield and Vic have to get over their differences, or Jinx and her motley crew will test if cats truly have nine lives.
The Garfield Movie strikes a different tone than previous adaptations. The film is loaded with silly slapstick antics in the vein of Looney Tunes. This isn't a Garfield story where he's simply ambling along. Garfield's tossed out of a moving train, flipped like a pancake, and forced to be more physical than we've ever seen him. Prolific animation director Mark Dindal (The Emperor's New Groove, Chicken Little) wants Garfield off the bench and in the game. This is an action-packed story that has Garfield active and involved. This, of course, causes great consternation for a cat who despises any strenuous activity.
Why Garfield's Appearance Has Changed So Much Over the Years
Garfield is one of the most iconic cats out there, but how much has his look changed since his comic strip debut, and why?Chris Pratt Overload? Not at All
Chris Pratt taking over as Garfield is the biggest step in this thematic change. Bill Murray's iconic brogue was synonymous with Garfield's lethargic demeanor. He vocally embodied a slothful pace. Pratt brings his action star persona to the character. He gives Garfield more zip, but doesn't lose the required sarcasm and comedic delivery.
The biggest initial worry was Pratt overload. He's already Emmet Brickowski in The Lego Movie, Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Peter Quill / Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy, and Owen in Jurassic Park. Each of these are blockbuster roles where Pratt's voice is instantly recognizable. Thankfully, Garfield isn't lost in the mix. He still sounds funny and endearing with a slightly more vigorous timbre.
Check Out Our Interview with Chris Pratt About Garfield Below:
Garfield's Slapstick Antics Run a Bit Too Long
The Garfield Movie isn't trying to impress with cutting edge animation. Dindall employs the age-old Squash and Stretch animation principle that gives characters a bouncy flexibility. Garfield ricochets off objects like an electrified ping-pong ball. It's meant to drive humor and not look too realistic. This has been a tried-and-true technique from Mickey Mouse to Madagascar. The film has vivid lighting, shading, and colors, but eschews granular detail to be a 3D version of the comics. The goal is to represent a known commodity with a tad more flair.
Older audiences may find the film exceedingly juvenile. There are no clever double entendres or hidden visual gags that cater to the mature. The Garfield Movie aims to please young children and die-hard fans. That doesn't mean it's dumb or witless. There are laughs galore. The introduction of Jinx and her memorable hench-critters had this reviewer rolling. It's impossible to sit through this film and not break into a smile. It's also great to see the lovable Odie more involved in the story.
Every Garfield TV Special, Ranked
It is time we look back at every Garfield TV special and rank them based on humor, creativity, and how well each expanded on the character’s spirit.The overall message of blended families caring for each other also rings positive. The biggest criticism is that it runs long at 100 minutes. A shorter, 90-minute edit would have been just as entertaining and helped the pacing.
The Garfield Movie is a production of Columbia Pictures, Alcon Entertainment, DNEG Animation, and One Cool Group, et al. It will be released theatrically on May 24th from Sony Pictures.
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