The Tale of Despereaux
Directed by Robert Stevenhagen, Sam Fell
- adventure
- animation
- family
The story
Once upon a time... in the far away kingdom of Dor... lived a brave and virtuous mouse with comically oversized ears who dreamt of becoming a knight. Banished from his home for having such lofty ambitions, Despereaux sets off on an amazing adventure with his good-hearted rat friend Roscuro, who leads him, at long last, on a very noble quest to rescue an endangered princess and save an entire kingdom from darkness.
What it’s like
Storybook framing and a warm, painted-looking computer-animated world, with a narrator who addresses the audience directly, so it feels like a bedtime book brought to life. Candlelit castle interiors glow in rich golds and deep reds, and the dungeons below fall into murky, shadowy blues and browns, so the light itself tells you where you are. The camera moves with an easy, storybook confidence, and the score is orchestral and swelling, with quieter, tender passages for the friendships. Its vibe is gentle and earnest, a little whimsical and a little melancholy, best for a slow family evening or a rainy afternoon when you want something sincere. The pace is unhurried, with long asides from the narrator and a steady build toward heroism. Its emotional register centres on loyalty and forgiveness, following a small, headstrong mouse and a disgraced rat who slowly learn to trust one another. The peril is real but mild: some dark dungeon scenes, a menacing rat-catching threat and a few tense moments, with no gore and little outright violence. It suits families with younger children, and adults who enjoy fairy-tale narration and old-fashioned chivalry told with sincerity.
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