Rated PG for crude humor and some language.
Directed by David Bowers and Sam Fell (both first time directors)
Starring the voices of Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet and Ian McKellen
It was DreamWorks Animation that brought us Shrek and Over the Hedge (two of my favorites) and Aardman Animation is responsible for Wallace and Gromit (admittedly not a huge fan). They combined forces to offer Flushed Away as their latest video release.
Flushed Away is the story of Roddy (Hugh Jackman), an upper-class British mouse who lives the life of luxury as a spoiled pet. Roddy meets Sid, a sewer rat, who finds his way into Roddy’s apartment and decides the giant TV, abundance of food and plush toys are way too good to pass up. So he decides to be the new permanent, unwanted roommate. In a stroke of “genius” Roddy invites Sid into the “oversized whirlpool” that you and I call a toilet. Unfortunately for Roddy, Sid’s street smarts far out weigh his book smarts and personal hygiene habits, if we’re being honest. So it’s Roddy that is “Flushed Away” from his life of comfort to the mean streets of Ratropolis. After a series of missteps and stumbles, Roddy meets Rita (Kate Winslet) the captain of the Jammy Dodger. The two of them set out together but with very different agendas through the sewers of Britain.
Unfortunately, I found the majority of the jokes to be cliché and just not funny. And as I watched the movie I couldn’t help thinking that these mice do not possess the likeability of Mickey or Stuart Little, the ninja frogs are just strange and most of the miniature gimmicks have been done before. I will admit I loved the slugs, they were pretty funny.
I really love the “Shrek” movies; sorry to say “Flushed Away” isn’t even close. Maybe it’s not fair to compare it to Shrek, but that is a movie I can watch over and over, and watching Flushed Away once was plenty for me. It just didn’t connect with me.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
The humor is crude (i.e. a floating candy bar that at first doesn’t look like a candy bar) and the language may surprise you for a “cartoon.” So if your younger kids have been on you to rent it… be warned, it isn’t overly offensive nor is it the quality movie you’ll want to watch over and over.
There are some redeemable qualities to the movie though, like life-lessons on helping one another, caring more about others than yourself, and materialism.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
