Tom & Jerry (1992/2021)

TOM & JERRY: THE MOVIE (U)

D: Phil Roman

Warner Bros./Turner (Phil Roman)

US 1992

84 mins

Animated

W: Dennis Marks [based on characters from the long-running cartoon series]

Mus: Henry Mancini

voices of: Richard Kind (Tom), Dana Hill (Jerry), Anndi McAfee (Robyn Starling), Henry Gibson (Dr. J. Sweetface Applecheek)

A lucklustre feature length episode of the timeless characters from the cartoon shorts of the 1940's and 1950's.

This could be considered theft of childhood memories, giving the cat and mouse voices and replacing the usual mayhem with sickening sweetness and the raucous fights with friendship as they team up to save a mistreated girl from an evil guardian.

Completely misconceived banality which is the result of too many real-life Marge Simpson's moaning about the original work promoting cartoon violence. It will probably appeal only to children under 6.

3/10

TOM & JERRY: THE MOVIE (PG)

D: Tim Story

Warner Bros (Christopher DeFaria)

US 🇺🇸 2021

101 mins

Comedy/Animated

W: Kevin Costello [based on characters created by William Hanna & Joseph Barbera]

DP: Alan Stewart

Ed: Peter S. Elliot

Mus: Christopher Lennertz

Chloë Grace Moretz (Kayla Judith Forester), Michael Peña (Terence Mendoza), Colin Jost (Ben), Pallavi Sharda (Preeta Mehta), Rob Delaney (Henry Dubros), Jordan Bolger (Cameron), Ken Jeong (Chef Jackie), Tom (Tom), Jerry (Jerry)

Tom & Jerry had their first feature film outing in 1992, in a poor movie that is best forgotten and this venture isn’t much of an improvement, in fact it could even be worse.

The film doesn’t feature as much cat & mouse action as it ought to, and instead follows young grifter Kayla Judith Forester as she cons her way into working for a fancy hotel as it prepares for the wedding of a pair of social media influencers Ben & Preeta.

Young kids may well have fun with this, but anyone who remembers watching Tom & Jerry cartoons in their childhood is bound to be disappointed. The animation here is lazy clashes unattractively with the live action footage and there’s no protagonist to root for here. Certainly not Moretz’s character who is nothing but a con artist.

If you want a Tom & Jerry fix, literally pick any of their shorts from the 1940’s through 1960’s. There’s plenty of greats to choose from that puts efforts like this and the 1992 film to shame.

3/10