Ratburger

David Walliams really gave it his all, portraying a really comedic villain and being the most entertaining part of the whole film. Without him the film will have been very basic and dull. His whole plan seems quite unique and can be a little gross.

Most the other actors are okay, not really given much to do or say. The main girl is never given much development or either is the rat. We never learn why the rat can dance or where it even came from. Overall the film needed a lot more time to develop the story or the characters and motivations. It is mostly harmless and does have some fun elements.

This film tells the story of a young girl, who has a rat that can dance. She has to save the rat from an evil burger man.

The story is full of dichotomous, black and white characters. The characters are funny, especially the policewoman who says sorry all the time. The evil stepmother is memorable as well. It is funny, and it is good for young children.

Zoe had a sweet life until her mother's death. Her father struggles and remarries horribly. She get bullied by bigger girl Tina Trotts. After losing a hamster, she finds a rat in her sock. The rat seems to dance and becomes her beloved pet. She gets suspended when her rat bites Tina.

It's a second-tier British kids movie. The lead is a newcomer. Her amateurism actually works in her favor. The general style is crass silliness. The production is second rate. The villain is deliberately ugly. It's all relatively fine. There is a sweetness to the movie despite all the ugliness. It's kind of a sweet ugliness.

David Walliams children books have been adapted by the BBC for Christmas but Ratburger was done by Sky. It still has the same style of filming including an appearance again by Raj the shopkeeper.

Zoe is a school girl who lives in a tower block in a northern town. She had a pleasant life until her mother died.

Now she lives with a stepmother who cares little for her and her dad who is always working. Zoe is bullied at school and only has one friend at school.

Things change when she finds small rat in her bedroom who seems to understand her and also dances to music. Zoe wants the rat to perform at the school talent contest.

However Burt the greasy burger van man smells a rat kebab.

David Walliams is having fun as Burt the rat catcher who makes burgers out of them. However I thought this one was too infantile and curiously dark at the same time.

Ratburger is an odd one. It is a family film through and through, but some of the plot might be too dark for young children. I'm not going to give away any plot spoilers. Talia Barnett puts in a nice performance as the down on her luck girl, Zoe (an actress to look out for in the future), Mark Benton is hugely likeable as Zoe's hard working and caring father, Sheridan Smith clearly enjoyed playing Zoe's chavvy and abusive mother, Nigel Planer seems to be doing an impression of John Cleese in Clockwork and David Walliams is creepy and sleazy as burger van owner, Burt.

I saw this over Christmas and some of the people I was viewing it with questioned if they would show it to younger children. Although played for laughs and darkly comic some of the more sinister plot lines go a stage beyond Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It's a fun romp though and something enjoyable for most people.