Review of The Tale of Despereaux (2008) by Jane J — 26 Jul 2009

Animation buffs hungry for another fairy tale involving heroic mice may have mixed reactions about THE TALE OF DESPERAUX, a charming but not very memorable yarn about a kingdom that loves soup which is turned upside down when a rat accidentally spoils the national holiday.

The hero of this tale is a small mouse with oversized ears (think Dumbo), who, unlike his fellow mice, loves to read, is interested in things that others may be cautious of, and open to new ideas. That makes him the ideal hero for this story (hearing the recognizable voice of Matthew Broderick adds to the charm as well).

An impressive list of talent speak for the characters of this story (including HARRY POTTER's Emma Watson as the melancholy Princess Pea, and more memorably, Kevin Kline as a zesty chef as well as Steve Tucci as an animated humanoid of fruit--Sigourney Weaver is a great narrator, too), and there are plenty of moments of genuine heart and imagination.

Ultimately, however, THE TALE OF DESPERAUX doesn't really stay with viewers after its 94 minute time, and at times it drags when it should be rousing. It falls short of classic status, but kids will surely enjoy it.