Top Cat

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...

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)!!

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.

While scheming to get rich to feed his gang, Top Cat gets framed for stealing money from orphans and must try clear his name.

I wasn't expecting much when I sat down to watch this. I'm not that aware of the original 60s animated show and this movie was incredibly cheap to buy online - that it's never a positive sign. I also reviews of it and people hate this mocie... At first I could understand why, it's dead simple and very low enegry. Childish even. But then it warmed it on me... yes the jokes aren't that great but they aren't overally stupid either just simple and innocent. The animation I really enjoyed! 2D characters in 3D animated environments. I know some people hated this as it doesn't look like the 60s original, and i agree it's hardly the most impressive I've seen but the simplicity of it worked well here particularly on the 3D Bluray I watched - consistant depth for the whole runtime. The premise of the film is very simple and easy to understand as it is a kids film but some of the concepts are quite adult and deal with real world concerns such as using 24/7 video camera monitoring of citizens to fine them. The whole movie is split into two parts really, part one is about Top Cat scheming get rich quick schemes and introducing characters whole part two, is about Top Cat being framed and going to "dog" jail as "cat" jail is full. That premise of a cat in dog jail was quite funny to me and probably my favourite scenes in the film. In saying that, it's hardly an exciting film, it doesn't move overaly fast, there isn't many action scenes and the voice acting is uninspired (although not the worst I've heard.). It really does feel like an extended episode of a child's Saturday morning TV show. I can't recommend it because of those reasons yet I also don't hate it. UPDATE June 2023: I did go back and watch a portion of it in 1.5x speed, and it felt so much easier to watch! The dialouge was still clear and sounded better actually when I went back to watch the film in normal speed it sounded and looked liked everything was being played at 0.5 speed. Very odd...

Final Verdict: i enjoyed the simple animation, the consistent 3D and even some of the jokes which are admittedly pretty tame but i chuckled at a few. Annoyingly it's also slow moving and not overly exciting. It's not that it's horrible, like most other reviews would make out, it's just very... simple. I enjoyed it for what it was but it's hardly something I'd watch again either. I recommend watching in 1.5x speed (trust me).

This movie has really a really rough beginning that might make most people stop wanting to watch it, but if you sit through it to the end, you'll probably get some mileage out of it.

The first 20 minutes resemble an episode of a basic 70's TV show redone for the CGI era. Here we're introduced to all the characters. Don Gato (Top Cat) is an unethical scoundrel of an alley cat who's the leader and smartest member of a group of other extremely dim petty criminal cats.

There's Officer Matuto, the police officer who wants to keep order, a female cat who is the love interest, and the villain who's simply a caricature of an ugly and neurotic man who is also very vain.

Don Gato goes through a CGI New York City obstacle course, meets a really dumb dog who fights with him, flirts inappropriately with the female cat, and then tries to rob jewels from a rich guy while Matuto tries to catch him.

The film then jarringly transitions into a very elementary apocalyptic science fiction, reusing the characters from the first part. Matuto wants to become chief of police but his position is usurped by the the villain from the first part who is now a technocrat and the female cat from the first part is his secretary. Although Don Gato met all these characters by happenchance at the beginning of the film, they happen to become extremely important to his life. Coincidences, coincidences.

The second part is a really elementary apocalyptic satire about the villain trying to take over the city (or world?) with police robots made in china. I think the first part was made to appeal to original viewers and the second part was meant to bring in new viewers by appealing to more current trends.

This part has some really funny jokes and poignant social critiques, but it's all seeped in playground comedy and I can't say that everything is funny or clever.

Stock happy resolution with every favourable character getting rewarded and every bad character getting his comeuppance.

If you have to sit through it, you'll probably find it mildly entertaining and it's more adventurous than a typical US film (I think it's actually a Mexican film), but it's nothing special.

Honourable Mentions: Recess: School's Out (2001) Like Don Gato, which is about larcenous alley cats and becomes an apocalyptic AI movie, Recess: The Movie also starts out with an equally humble roster of elementary school students on the playground and it expands to become a government conspiracy action thriller.