Review of The Great Mouse Detective (1986) by Bill W — 20 Apr 2010

Though most don't consider this a Disney classic, I'd put myself out there to say it is. The Great Mouse Detective is one of those movies that stays with you once you've seen it, wether you liked it or not.

It was surprisingly dark for any children's movie, especially a Disney movie. It nearly scared the pants off me when I watched it the first time[I was six, give me a break :P], and it made my little sister cry- though, granted, she was only four years old.

Surprisingly, it actually did a better job of portraying Victorian London as it was than most of the original Sherlock Holmes movies. Speaking of which, I loved the references and throwbacks to Sherlock Holmes, which are many and absurdly entertaining for fans of the Adventures, like myself.

The animation was beautiful, as always, and the characters were vibrant and familiar. The plot was intricate without being overcomplicated, and simple enough for children to follow without being too simplistic for the parents to enjoy.

Anyone can enjoy this movie, and I personally haven't met a person who's seen it who hasn't liked it. It had a way of putting you right there in the action, something that tends to get overlooked when you do animated films.

I think a lot of that relatability has to do with the character of Olivia, who, like us as the audience, is just thrown into this spectacle headfirst. There have been greater movies, I will freely admit it (Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Bambi, Pinocchio, and Aladdin, notably), but The Great Mouse Detective has a special place in my heart as well as on my movie shelf!