Top Cat

Definitely the worse film of the year and struggling to think of one ever. I was a massive TC fan when I was little so was excited at being able to take my 2 boys to go and see the film. Really wish I hadn't bothered. In the interest of fairness I should point out I watched the 2D version so the 3D version may be slightly better if this was done well but based on the rest of the film I doubt it. No story and terrible animation, do yourself and your children a favour and spend your money on something else. If people go and watch this rubbish then the film companies will continue to churn out this dross knowing that parents will still take their kids.

Took my 4 year old to watch this today, he loves going the pictures, as do i. This was awful, so boring my boy wouldn't sit still through it and couldn't wait for it to finish, all i can say is i was happy to leave. Wouldn't sit through it again, even if it was free. We didn't laugh once, barely even smiled. Most of the children in there didn't seam to happy with it either. It just felt like a extra long episode of top cat. All in all spent about £40.00 to watch something that neither of us enjoyed or will remember. Asked my little boy if he enjoyed it he said "it was OK, but i don't want to see it again" for him who watches the same cartoon over and over again says it all.

Yesterday was the premiere here in Mexico city and I got the chance to go! and I LOVED it, watching the whole gang on screen! the Voices go great with the characters they are really similar to those from the original cartoon in fact I actually think some of the actors are the same! it reminded me of the good old times when cartoons where the best way to pass time :D besides its great for kids even if they never watched the original Top Cat .. Benny (Benito) its adorable !! all the characters are likable and fun Everyone should check out this movie not matter how old or if they like top cat it's an awesome movie and I highly recommended specially for kids! they will LOVE it! mainly because its impossible not to love Top Cat (Don Gato)!!

This film did not quite make the grade, as remakes or reboots of much loved originals rarely do, but I have been quite taken aback by the harshness of some of the reviews, which rightly point out the problems but fail to mention what worked. Having seen what's been done to other classic TV shows by Hollywood, I think it's fair to say that what works in this film is only there because the property was farmed out to people keen to make it, rather than interfered with by sticky fingered money men and ass-covering executives.

Unlike many of the other reviewers, who seem to be speaking for entire crowds of people ranging from their entire families, to kids, to all fans everywhere, I will simply speak for myself, a Hanna-Barbera fanboy since Huckleberry Hound.

Yes, there are drawbacks, one avoidable and one not.

The one thing that spoils the film irretrievably is the bad guy, a terrible, horrible character completely out of tune with the spirit of the series, and a major misjudgement. The other problem is that the guys who did the original voices are no longer with us. There's nothing anyone can do about that.

But whatever it's failings, this film is clearly a labour of love by people who love and respect the original series, the style of which belongs to its time, and has by happy chance, proved to be timeless. The endless array of in-jokes were a delight--Laslo Laslo, Arabella, Gus, the Maharajah of Pookajee, the rich lady, Queen for a Day, Griswold, and loads of walk-throughs including A.T. Jazz and his buddy in the pool hall... this was not some careless throwaway deal as some have suggested.

Ever since Star Trek the Motionless Picture in 1979, film-makers have been taking our memories of classic TV shows and trampling all over them, worst offenders being The Avengers (U.K.) and Lost in Space, trashing the concepts and characters, and quite clearly not caring about the originals in any way, shape or form, just cashing in on the good will and name value. It was a pleasure to see a film that, even if they got the Big Picture wrong, respected and acknowledged the source material and the original audience, even to the point of retaining the original music. It's also worth noting that the Don Gato movie had different voice overs. And finally, a New York that has people and cars in it!!

So yes, Top Cat the movie could have done with a couple of rewrites before it went before the cameras, and a bit of tightening up. Let's remember that the Hollywood live action Flintstones went through 38 writers (as opposed to the three guys who wrote all the hundred-plus episodes they were drawing from) and still came up with a lousy bad guy and a dull, over-complicated and uninteresting plot.

I thought this was an interesting failure and a brave try. I can't shake the feeling that if this had been made in L.A. some idiot would have been telling us how dark and gritty they were going to make it, Top Cat would have been a callous rapper dealing drugs, and the film would have opened with the drive-by shooting of Officer Dibble...

Top Cat is by far my favorite Hanna-Barbera cartoon. The humor was clever, especially the verbal stuff between T.C. and...who ever he was tricking at the moment, the gang of cats was fun (my favorite was Cho- cho) and I love the mood it had. It's one of those kids show I actually found myself to appreciate more as adult just for how smart it was.

While the first few five-ten minutes made ma go "Meh" , as soon the gang was reintroduce the movie actually become quite good. It's a very basic story but it those an excellent job of recapturing the spirit and the humor of the original show. All characters where… well, in character, and some of the English voice actors where dead-on perfect (especially T.C., Dibble and Benny) There where some great absurd jokes, some good Simpson-style gags that take you off gourd and play with a viewer expectation, as well some small twists and in-jokes for the fans of the original TV show (I especially love the part In the middle where Cho-cho become new leader of the gang and they spoof the opening credits with the gang recapturing all of the Top Cats tricks and felling miserably)

Yhe, the animation in this movie is far from cinematic standards but it was it's still enjoyable to watch (to be honest I was having flash-backs from computer game "UFO'S" which had identical bland of 3D and flash animation) What surprise me is the fact I actually liked the villain. When I saw this guy in the trailer for the first time I was sure I will hate this character. He was just so generic… But no! Most the jokes about how vain and angry he was actually worked an I liked how over the top he got with his plot.

I only have few nitpicks with the movie :

– I wish there where more Top-Cat/Dibble interaction. For me the hate/love relationship between the two was the heath of the show and while here their both 100% in character there's not that much dialog between the two. I wish they would had a longer scene where T.C. somehow tricks or scams Dibble. I guess it doesn't matter if your fan of the show since your already know their history together but if your new to these characters you will won't fell any friendship or relation between this two. – The show had a wonderful New York atmosphere (mainly thanks to the jazzy sound track and great backgrounds) Here It could take place in any other city. I just wish they would kept the background closer to resembling those on the show. – Cho-Cho's voice didn't sound like the original character… I wouldn't even bother to bring this up if not for the fact that they did such a great job of recapturing all other characters voices so well. – Trixie was a very generic/cliché sympathetic girl and a love interest for Top-Cat which makes here very bland comparing to the rest of the cast. This is more of personal pet pea. I just hate when they introduce a main female character and have no idea for her personality other then the fact she's a female, especially since all the feline fame fatal's from the show usually hat a lot of character. Heck! Fancy's girlfriend who appears in two short scenes appear to be way more funny and interesting… – There was one or two grow-out jokes that didn't felt in the spirit of the cartoon;

But those are just nitpicks. Over all – if you a Top Cat fan and you would love see those characters again in action then this movie should be good nostalgia trip for you, and to be honest this movie was made ONLY for Top Cat fans and you can sense the passion script writers had for the original show. Heck! I found it better then "Top Cat and Beverly Hills Cats" which felt like 20 minute of plot stretch to hour and a half. Here ad lead they had ideas and jokes to feel this time. However if your not a Top Cat fan… It's just a OK cartoon but It will entertain you . Watching this I actually wish the same guys would do another Top-Cat remake show, as the movie did manage to add some fresh light without making it too modern.

8/10 should be a fair score