The Cat Returns (2002) - Review and Analysis by Jason Pitt for Critical-Film.com

Please comment on "The Cat Returns", and it's review in our Forum.

The Cat Returns (2002) A film review by Jason Pitt For Critical-film.com   “The Cat Returns” is a prime example of what can be achieved through exceptional use of animation over live-action or computer graphics. It is incredibly fitting in its use of animation, as it takes place in a world which could never be accurately portrayed in a live environment. It's a beautifully realized world in which cats live by their own rules and standards. They speak, and walk upright, and (in the English dub) are voiced by reputable actors and actresses, such as Anne Hathaway, Tim Curry and Cary Elwes. The buildings are cat-sized, and their world is undisturbed by human interference. It's a perfect subject for an animated film, and one that could be realized by no other means.   …And the animation is fantastic. As with all Studio Ghibli productions, the animation is breathtaking. From the background visuals, to the character designs, everything is painted with a certain vitality American films lack. The characters are all quite unique or strange enough in design, that they lend a certain inventive characteristic to the film. The Cat King (voiced by Tim Curry) is crossed eyed and quite strange looking. This suits his personality quite well, as we start to realize that he's not completely sane. The King's guards are colored in shades of green, not unlike you'd expect a feline G.I. Joe figure to look. It seems as though each character was created with a unique design suiting to its role in the film. It's certainly a lot more attention to smaller details than we are used to seeing in American animation.   The films uniqueness does not end there however, as it tells an enjoyable story which I would never imagine would appear in an American film. After saving a cat from being hit by a truck, Haru finds herself being showered with all kinds of strange gifts. She later realizes these are gifts from the Cat King, as a sign of gratitude. The cat she had saved earlier was the King's son. Things soon turn worse however, as it is revealed the King wants to take Haru back to his kingdom to marry his son.   It's a unique concept, and fits in quite well with the rest of Studio Ghibli's productions. “The Cat Returns” is certainly one of the studio's best non-Miyazaki films. It's funny, and contains some incredible sequences (The final scene, involving an incredibly well-animated freefall, is one of the films stand out sequences). It is an incredible example of the potential of animation and how it should be used. “The Cat Returns” could never be made as a live action film, which is a blessing, as I'm certain it would lose a great deal of its charm.   (Four Stars)   This review was provided in HTML format, as your browser is not capable of displaying flash content. To experience Critical-Film.com the way it was meant to be seen, please download the flash player from <a href="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&promoid=BIOW">Macromedia</a>.