Ratchet & Clank
Reviews
Frank Ochieng
A popular PlayStation-era game is the frivolous foundation for the kiddie sci-fi action-oriented animation adventure **‘Ratchet & Clank’** that makes it a playful stamp on the big screen. This kid-friendly space saga, armed with its beloved reputation in the world of gamer groupies, could be deemed as the junior-sized ‘Star Wars’ for the minor sect. Why would the mini movie-goers not find this big screen adaptation an appealing space-aged actioner worth its weight in innocuous, escapist gold? After all, what is not to like about the roguish and heroic feline-looking creature Ratchet (otherwise known as a ‘lombax’) with the Buck Rogers attire as well as the cute clanking companion in the green-eyed, robotic Clank (channeling the impish and lovable R2D2 from that certain George Lucas-directed worldwide cinematic sensation from yesteryear?). Our galactic good guys look to save the universe and the avid youngish video game fanatics will eat this fun-loving fantasy up with moon dust soup. Unfortunately, **‘Ratchet & Clank’** musters up a tepid by-the-numbers frenzy that will predictably hold the munchkins’ imaginative attention. As for others, the hyper hairball and his trusty tin can tag-along get lost in the shuffle of this somewhat serviceable but sluggish cartoon pie-in-the-sky popcorn pleaser for the little ones at large. Directors Kevin Monroe’s and Jerrica Cleland’s spotty spunk captures the loose lunacy and spirited sauciness on occasion where even the movie’s poster promises to ‘kick some asteroid’. It is too bad that the breezily bland storytelling cannot overcome its conventional confines as one may get a more stimulating kick engaging in the actual video game than viewing this kinetic crater kiddie showcase without much distinction or creative plucking pop. Basically, **‘Ratchet & Clank’** is safe and generic but never grabs the challenging aspects behind its one-note presentation in good versus evil–something that may in fact be a clichéd overload even for those tykes out there begging for these amiable planetary protectors to bring something fresh outside of its gaming inspiration. The youthful mechanic Ratchet (voiced by James Arnold Taylor who also provided the voicing duties in the video game) is a dreamer with heroic plans to join the prestigious glory-seeking Galactic Rangers. Specifically, the Galactic Rangers are known for their courageous crime-fighting activities on Ratchet’s home planet. Ratchet’s lofty ambition to hook up with the Galactic Rangers is somewhat alarming to his boss and mentor Grimroth (John Goodman) who is not too thrilled with his employee’s/protege’s questionable expectations. The Galactic Rangers are currently recruiting for skilled members to collaborate with them and expand the elite unit. For the star-eyed Ratchet this is a golden opportunity to become a starry-eyed superhero reaching for acceptance and self-importance. In the meanwhile, a treacherous tyrant known as Chairman Drek (Paul Giamatti) is the galaxy’s menacing madman and one of the main reasons why the Galactic Rangers are nursing the thoughts of growing their interstellar roster of crime-stoppers. Drek is out of control as he has been destroying planets left and right. Naturally, the dastardly Drek needs to be stopped in his hideous mission to castrate and conquer. Drek’s calculating cronies include his second-in-command robot Victor (Sylvester Stallone) and ominous scientific aide Dr. Nefarious (Armin Shimerman from TV’s “Star Trek Deep Space Nine”). They are instrumental in creating killer robots whose sole purpose is out to eradicate the celebrated do-gooder Galactic Rangers. Of course this begs the question: does Ratchet really know what he is getting into regarding his heralded aspirations to become a Galactic Ranger? It would take a pint-sized turncoat from Drek’s robotic renegades in the form of defective and rejected Clank (voiced by David Kaye) to escape the mechanical baddies and whisper the devious goings-on to the noble Galactic Rangers. The initial meeting of Ratchet and the British-sounding Clank is incidental but when they thwart the sneak attack initiated by Drek’s tin-plated terrorists the pair are invited into the applauded team’s inner circle courtesy of the tandem’s rescuing efforts. Galactic Ranger head honcho Captain Quark (Jim Ward) has his doubts about the eager talented twosome but the other members embrace Ratchet and Clank with open arms. Still, the common goal is to eliminate Drek and his horrible henchmen Dr. Nefarious and Victor from orchestrating the ruination of their jeopardized universe. Although showing some spunk and off-balance wittiness, **Ratchet & Clank** feels notoriously recycled as it obviously borrows from other animated fodder while tapping into the all-too-familiar Star Wars mantra that features a young adventurer from a distant planet thriving to save the galaxy from sinister forces. There are colorful action sequences and gun-toting shenanigans that will entertain the impish kiddies as they engage in the elaborate space battles. Both leading lads Ratchet and especially the merry-minded, metal-plated Clank will come off as an adorable yet oddball duo to behold. The villainy of Drek and his devious drones will probably spark the giddiness in the wide-eyed youngsters. The common sense behind Ratchet & Clank is to arm the movie’s presentation with the feel and feisty-oriented flavor of its video game blueprint. If that is the case then why bother serving up a family fantasy on the big screen if it cannot separate occasionally from its vintage gamer blueprint? Curiously, the fast-paced hit-and-miss jokes and the spry-looking makeup of this kid-approved cosmic caper is a passable revelation for a movie representing a fourteen-year old video game from yesteryear. Also, the notable names behind the characterizations in **Ratchet & Clank** seem to give some measure of breezy joy to their on-screen roles. Celebrity voices instilled in the fired-up female warriors consist of the likes of Rosario Dawson’s Alaris and Bella Thorne’s Cora which evoke the recent reminiscences of Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Daisy Ridley’s heroine Rey. Consequently, all these factors mentioned in the rousing yet rudimentary Ratchet & Clank boils down to just another basic and tiresome “good-against-evil” gimmick for the chorus of the kid-watching crowd. It is a given that **Ratchet & Clank** will be a spell-binding spectacle to the young viewers but for the rest of us let’s hope that a nostalgic rerun of Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space will suffice for our adequate needs blocking out the fire-power crafty cat and his diminutive autotron sidekick. **Ratchet & Clank (2016)** Focus Features 1 hr. 34 mins. Starring (the voices of): James Arnold Taylor, David Kaye, John Goodman, Sylvester Stallone, Paul Giamatti, Rosario Dawson, Bella Thorne, Jim Ward, Armin Shimerman, Vincent Tong Directed by: Kevin Munroe and Jerrica Cleland MPAA Rating: PG Genre: Sci-Fi/Space Fantasy/Action & Adventure/Kids & Family/Animation Critic’s rating: ** stars (out of 4 stars) **(c) Frank Ochieng**
Reno
**Space warriors, mad scientist, chosen one and saving the planet.** I might have heard the name, but seems nothing familiar. So it is very much like my first encounter with these game characters. And this is really a good first film, I enjoyed, but did not like, because I'm not the target audience. I know, many grown-ups liked it, but they had reasons like they have known this for some time. One thing that fascinated me was the production quality. I can't believe, it was not those silly B class animation, it was very much comparable to Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks films. The only thing that did not favour it was the story. If they have got that part right, it would have been one of the best animations of the years. So the truth is I tempted to rate it higher for the quality of animation alone. The directors, and all artists must be praised for that. If I were a kid, it would have been my favourite. So what I'm saying it, this film will be loved by children. There's not child film critic, otherwise this film would have been appreciated better. The problem is the critics did not like it, and so the adults, but families with kids might have chance to enjoy it. Some of the big names in the voice-over artist list, but that did not help the film to see its success. There's no innovation in it, everything you see in the film was already exploited in other films. All those the space warriors thing, the chosen one, villain, mad scientist, betrayal, you have seen them from 'Star wars' to 'Guardian of the Galaxy'. That is another reason for not having a good time with it. It is still very much a watchable film. _5/10_
Movie Recommendation
Taking Earth2017-05-01The human race is thrown into chaos as an alien invasion takes control of the planet in an effort to find one boy out of 7 billion people who holds the power to destroy them.More...
Pikachu's Vacation1998-07-18Pikachu and the gang learn responsibility, teamwork as well as cooperation during their Summer vacation at Pokemon Island.More...
My Future Love2016-11-11In 1973, the 20-year-old Svante has a heart condition that the doctors cannot fix. When he has a breakdown on a subway platform, a strange train suddenly appears. He steps into the subway car filled with wonder, without knowing that the destination is the future. In the future he meets Elsa and together they must solve Svante's problems and figure out how to live together when they are from two different eras.More...
Under the Gun2016-05-13A look at the aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre where 20 children were murdered at school by a crazed gunman, but lead to no changes in American gun laws.More...
Sheep & Wolves2016-04-28In a magical faraway land, in a picturesque little village nestled among green meadows and rolling hills, lives a flock of carefree sheep. But their pastoral and stress-free life is interrupted when a pack of wolves sets up camp in the nearby ravine.More...
Eating Out2004-02-14After getting dumped by his slutty girlfriend, Caleb falls in love with Gwen. However, thanks to Caleb's roommate, Gwen thinks he's gay and sets him up with her roommate, Marc.More...
Foolproof2003-10-03Kevin, Sam and Rob have an unusual hobby: planning foolproof heists, without intending to actually perform them. The game goes wrong when their latest plan is stolen and carried out. Things get even worse when a mysterious man approaches them with an offer: plan a heist for him, or go to jail. As the clock ticks, they find that the risk might be higher than just their freedom.More...
The Merciless2017-05-17Jae-ho, who aims to become the number one in a crime organization, gets to build up trust with Hyun-su, an ambitious newbie in the prison. While they try to take over the organization after the prison release, their ulterior motives starts to emerge.More...
Doghouse2009-06-11A group of men, heading to a remote village to help one of their friends get over his divorce, soon discover that all the women have been infected with a virus that makes them man-hating cannibals.More...
Spider Baby1967-12-24In a dilapidated rural mansion, the last generation of the degenerate, inbred Merrye family lives with the inherited curse of a disease that causes them to mentally regress from the age of 10 or so on as they physically develop. The family chauffeur looks out for them and covers up their indiscretions. Trouble comes when greedy distant relatives and their lawyer arrive to dispossess the family of its home.More...
Dead Rising: Endgame2016-06-20Investigative reporter Chase Carter must stop a secret government conspiracy in the zombie infested quarantine zone of East Mission City.More...
Game Therapy2015-10-22A man tries to cure his friend of his video-game obsession by using a virtual reality machine. When the device traps his friend in a virtual world, he goes in to help him fight for his life.More...
Billy and Buddy2013-02-27Buddy is an abandoned young cocker spaniel waiting dejectedly in his cage for a kind, new owner to adopt him. Suddenly, Billy, a little boy whose hair is as red as Buddy's, appears. It's love at first sight and the beginning of a great friendship. But for Billy's parents, this is where the trouble begins.More...
Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away2012-11-09An original story featuring performances by Cirque du Soleil. A young woman is entranced by an Aerialist. When they fall into the dreamlike world of Cirque du Soleil and are separated, they travel through the different tent worlds trying to find each other.More...
Shinjuku Incident2009-03-22A simple Chinese immigrant wages a perilous war against one of the most powerful criminal organizations on the planet.More...
LEGO Batman: The Movie - DC Super Heroes Unite2013-05-21Joker teams up with Lex Luthor to destroy the world one brick at a time. It's up to Batman, Superman and the rest of the Justice League to stop them.More...
A Few Best Men2011-10-14A groom and his three best men travel to the Australian outback for a wedding.More...
Assassin's Creed2016-12-21Through a technology that unlocks the generic memories of his ancestor in 15th century Spain, Callum Lynch discovers he is a descendant of an ancient line of Assassins and amasses lethal skills to take on the oppressive Templar Order.More...
Zambezia2012-06-05Set in a bustling bird city on the edge of the majestic Victoria Falls, "Zambezia" is the story of Kai - a naïve, but high-spirited young falcon who travels to the bird city of "Zambezia" where he discovers the truth about his origins and, in defending the city, learns how to be part of a community.More...
Fear Below2025-05-02A rag-tag team of divers attempting to salvage a sunken car from a river are thwarted by a highly aggressive bull shark.More...
Similar Movies
Pirates of the Caribb...
2003-07-09After Port Royal is attacked and pillaged by a mysterious pirate crew, capturing the governor's daughter Elizabeth Swann in the process, William Turner asks free-willing pirate Jack Sparrow to help him locate the crew's ship—The Black Pearl—so that he can rescue the woman he loves.The Simpsons Movie
2007-07-25After Homer accidentally pollutes the town's water supply, Springfield is encased in a gigantic dome by the EPA and the Simpsons are declared fugitives.Pirates of the Caribb...
2006-07-06Captain Jack Sparrow races to recover the heart of Davy Jones to avoid enslaving his soul to Jones' service, as other friends and foes seek the heart for their own agenda as well.War of the Worlds
2005-06-28Ray Ferrier is a divorced dockworker and less-than-perfect father. Soon after his ex-wife and her new husband drop off his teenage son and young daughter for a rare weekend visit, a strange and powerful lightning storm touches down.Nausicaä of the Valle...
1984-03-11After a global war, the seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind remains one of the last strongholds on Earth untouched by a poisonous jungle and the powerful insects that guard it. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley engage in an epic struggle to restore the bond between humanity and Earth.Raiders of the Lost A...
1981-06-12When Dr. Indiana Jones – the tweed-suited professor who just happens to be a celebrated archaeologist – is hired by the government to locate the legendary Ark of the Covenant, he finds himself up against the entire Nazi regime.Indiana Jones and the...
1989-05-24In 1938, an art collector appeals to eminent archaeologist Dr. Indiana Jones to embark on a search for the Holy Grail. Indy learns that a medieval historian has vanished while searching for it, and the missing man is his own father, Dr. Henry Jones Sr.. He sets out to rescue his father by following clues in the old man's notebook, which his father had mailed to him before he went missing. Indy arrives in Venice, where he enlists the help of a beautiful academic, Dr. Elsa Schneider, along with Marcus Brody and Sallah. Together they must stop the Nazis from recovering the power of eternal life and taking over the world!Armageddon
1998-07-01When an asteroid threatens to collide with Earth, NASA honcho Dan Truman determines the only way to stop it is to drill into its surface and detonate a nuclear bomb. This leads him to renowned driller Harry Stamper, who agrees to helm the dangerous space mission provided he can bring along his own hotshot crew. Among them is the cocksure A.J. who Harry thinks isn't good enough for his daughter, until the mission proves otherwise.Tron
1982-07-09When brilliant video game maker Flynn hacks the mainframe of his ex-employer, he is beamed inside an astonishing digital world...And becomes part of the very game he is designing. In his mission through cyberspace, Flynn matches wits with a maniacal Master Control Program and teams up with Tron, a security measure created to bring balance to the digital environment.Exams at Any Odd Time...
1974-04-04Two novels united by common characters and a never-settled problem: the clash between sincerity of children and the heartless pragmatism and ambitions of grown-ups.Akira
1988-06-10A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath that only two teenagers and a group of psychics can stop.Star Trek: The Motion...
1979-12-07When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command.I Want Pluto to Be a ...
2016-10-11A transhumanist romance in the near future. A young boy of modest origins, Marcus, an H- , falls madly in love with an H+.Alien Vs. Zombies
2017-05-03Joe Alien fulfills a dream of coming to Earth to find that it's overrun by zombies. Finding an ally in young Parker, he attempts to save the world!Annaluise & Anton
1953-08-26Despite their social differences Luise, called Pünktchen, a girl from rich parentage befriends Anton, a boy who has to earn his own money in order to afford life for his sick mother and himself. Together they undergo different adventures, even preventing a theft in Pünktchens homeAnnaluise & Anton
1999-03-11Luise, called Pünktchen, and Anton are closest of friends. Being the daughter of a wealthy surgeon, young Pünktchen lives in a great house. Her mother, who always travels through the world more for public relation reasons than for the social tasks she pretends to fulfill, is never available to her as a mother. Anton, son of a single and sick mother in financial trouble, does his best to help her out of it by working late. Pünktchen decides to help her only friend (as nobody else would anyway) and starts singing in public places. Trouble arises when Anton can't resist stealing a golden lighter and Pünktchen's secret life is discovered by her parents. Two troubled families finally can see the need for actions to be taken.Shrek 2
2004-05-19Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey set off to Far, Far Away to meet Fiona's mother and father, the Queen and King. But not everyone is happily ever after, as Shrek and the King find it difficult to get along. But when the Fairy Godmother discovers that Fiona has married Shrek instead of her son Prince Charming as King Harold had promised, she plots to destroy their marriage and replace the ogre with her son Charming.Shrek the Third
2007-05-17The King of Far Far Away has died and Shrek and Fiona are to become King & Queen. However, Shrek wants to return to his cozy swamp and live in peace and quiet, so when he finds out there is another heir to the throne, they set off to bring him back to rule the kingdom.Silent Running
1972-03-09After the entire flora goes extinct, ecologist Lowell maintains a greenhouse aboard a space station for the future with his android companions. However, he rebels after being ordered to destroy the greenhouse in favor of carrying cargo, a decision that puts him at odds with everyone but his mechanical companions.Aladdin
1992-11-25In the boorish city of Agrabah, kind-hearted street urchin Aladdin and Princess Jasmine fall in love, although she can only marry a prince. He and power-hungry Grand Vizier Jafar vie for a magic lamp that can fulfill their wishes.