**Chris Pratt voices the iconic orange tabby in a generic yet visually appealing narrative that fails to capture the essence of Jim Davis’ Garfield. The lasagna-loving cat with a deep aversion to Mondays, who first gained popularity in the late '70s comic strips, is a watered-down version of himself in “The Garfield Movie.” His characteristic apathy is largely replaced by excessive excitement, with only occasional glimpses of his charmingly negative traits. This Garfield embarks on action-packed adventures, including jumping off trains and staging a heist, while engaging in predictable physical comedy reminiscent of the lackluster “The Secret Life of Pets” franchise, awkwardly inserting Garfield into the mix.
These choices reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of
Garfield’s appeal as a lovable, self-centered glutton whose ultimate dream is
to do nothing while having all his needs met. This film seems designed for an
audience unfamiliar with Garfield, attempting to reinvent him in a high-energy,
overly stimulated form for a generation with shorter attention spans. Set in
the present, Garfield now uses delivery apps for his meals, and in a climactic
sequence, drones—not drivers—help him save the day, leading to blatant product
placements from brands like Walmart and Olive Garden. Adding to the uninspired
humor, Garfield’s new favorite pastime is watching Catflix, a streaming site
for cat videos.
The film’s disinterest in preserving Garfield’s original
world extends to his owner, Jon Arbuckle (voiced by Nicholas Hoult). Previously
portrayed as frustrated by his pet’s antics, Jon here is stripped of screen
time and distinctive traits. At least Garfield’s loyal canine companion, Odie,
remains mostly unchanged, voiced by Harvey Guillén, who continues his streak of
voicing animated dogs after Perrito in “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” Pratt’s
cheerful tone fails to capture Garfield’s sarcastic nonchalance, making one
long for Bill Murray’s portrayal in the early 2000s hybrid films, which,
despite their flaws, better captured Garfield’s essence.
As an origin story, “The Garfield Movie” introduces Vic
(Samuel L. Jackson), Garfield’s father who abandoned him as a kitten. This new
character, not seen in previous “Garfield” media, reenters Garfield’s life when
a generic villain, Jinx (Hannah Waddingham), and her unoriginal dog henchmen
force Garfield to steal over 1,000 gallons of milk from a dairy farm/theme park
as revenge for Jinx’s time in the pound due to a failed robbery with Vic. The
screenwriters (Paul A. Kaplan, Mark Torgove, and David Reynolds) clutter the
narrative with unnecessary scenes and flashbacks (presented in an interesting
2D illustration style) involving supporting characters like Otto (Ving Rhames),
a bull banished from the farm, adding emotional weight that feels contrived.
Director Mark Dindal, known for “The Emperor’s New Groove”
and “Chicken Little,” and his animation team succeed in creating visually
pleasing, cartoony expressions and realistic fur for Garfield, striking a
balance between his hand-drawn and CGI versions from earlier big-screen
adaptations and the late 2000s-2010s TV show “The Garfield Show.” However, the
film’s constant high-energy antics overshadow the quieter, more engaging
opening sequence where a baby Garfield first meets Jon. Sticking to the mundane
adventures more suited to Garfield would have been a better choice than the
high-stakes stunts that betray his character. The result is a generic product
aimed at mass appeal rather than a thoughtful exploration of Garfield’s unique
personality.
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The more this chaotic spectacle drags on, the more one longs
for the “Garfield & Friends” animated series from the late ‘80s and early
‘90s, the best audiovisual adaptation of Jim Davis’ creation. A woman sitting
nearby spent the entire movie scrolling on her phone while her children
half-watched, reflecting how American animated features for young audiences
have been devalued by studios and audiences alike, relegated to noisy
background entertainment vying for attention against pervasive handheld devices—even
in theaters. “The Garfield Movie” is a stark reminder that much of today’s
children’s entertainment is destined to become colorful advertisements, a
disappointing outcome for the famously lazy cat who deserved better after
nearly 50 years of entertaining audiences.**
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