Artivels Undescribable Perfection

UnowPriceless hyped garbage

ShangLuda Admirable film.

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

MaximumMadness Released twenty years back in 1997, director Gore Verbinski's "Mousehunt" has always been something of an odd beast in the world of entertainment. Seemingly inspired by classic comedy duos like Laurel and Hardy, while also updating the style with spiffy modern-day effects and filmmaking techniques, the movie was shaping up to be a surefire hit. And to an extent, it was. It did well enough in theaters and built a moderate audience, but it was savaged by critics and has become an increasingly forgotten film in the ensuing years since its release... overshadowed by bigger and wilder films that emerged in its wake.And honestly, that's kind of a shame. Because despite some minor flaws and an overly simplistic high-concept hook, "Mousehunt" remains a pretty charming and well-accomplished comedic tale that appeals to both kids and adults alike with its broad humor and oddly dark tone. Starring the delightful comedic geniuses Nathan Lane and Lee Evans, the story of two down-on-their-luck brothers trying to deal with a rodent infestation in the mansion they've inherited is an appealing and well-made release. It still brings the chuckles and belly-laughs two decades later... though in retrospect, it might be a little too extreme for particularly young children.Following the death of their businessman father Rudolf (William Hickey), brothers Ernie (Nathan Lane) and Lars (Lee Evans) are both forced to stay at the run-down old mansion that was left to them. Soon after, they discover documents inside and realize that it was one of the final houses designed and built by the world famous architect Charles LaRue, and that it could be worth millions with proper restoration. However... there's a catch. A single mouse inhabits the house, and the brother decide that they must eliminate it at all costs in their effort to turn a quick buck from the property. But it won't be an easy task, as the two quickly realize that this isn't just any mouse...The film's strength lies in the charming lead performances and the absolutely manic and highly cartoonish comedy, brought to life with Verbinski's trademark dark and stylish visual direction. Lane and Evans light up the screen, and their chemistry is just perfect, with both men given their fair shot to shine from scene to scene. They really do compare well with the classic comedy duos of yesteryear, and its too bad we thus far haven't really seen them together on screen since. Supporting roles by the likes of Hickey, Vicki Lewis and Camilla Søeberg are also quite good, and everyone really gets into the right mood and mindset of the film. And of course, special praise goes to the legendary Christopher Walken in a scene-stealing supporting role. I won't spoil it, but you can tell Walken is having an absolute blast with the film.The comedy of the film is absolutely awe-inspiring, comprised of both broad and completely whacked-out slapstick for the kids and some truly twisted and subtle dark laughs for the adults. There really is something for everyone with the humor in "Mousehunt", and its made all the better thanks to director Verbinski's keen eye. I've always been a big fan of his work, and his style lends itself well to the material. His films always have a very gritty, Gothic and over-stylized "hyper-reality" to them, and he is able to deliver the laughs and even the occasional gasp with glee and gusto.However, there is a certain trade-off that comes as the result of this, and I do feel the need to warn parents... this movie might be too much for particularly young children. While I won't spoil anything about the plot or story, I will comment that many of the darker gags and jokes deal with content that might scare children under ten or at very least leave them feeling uneasy. This includes jokes involving death and property destruction, a hilarious but genuinely disturbing background gag involving a young girl's pet being put to sleep and some overt innuendos and suggestive sight- gags. If you're not sure, I'd say watch the movie first and decide for yourself. And I'm really only bringing this up because the case for the DVD is significantly more bright and "cutesy" than the film itself."Mousehunt" isn't a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination. The concept and characters are simplistic and it's sometimes a bit confused in terms of tone. But that doesn't stop it from being just a ton of fun and a completely enjoyable experience for both kids and adults. The cast is great, the titular mouse is adorable, the comedy is laugh-out-loud funny, and the stylish direction is just fantastic. And so, I give it a very good 8 out of 10 and would recommend it to most audiences. It's a criminally underrated comedic gem that deserves far more recognition than it receives.

stormhawk2018 Mouse Hunt is a movie that I watched for the first time at least 10 years ago. I wanted to revisit for a while now and seeing as how Gore Verbinski has a new movie coming out now, there wasn't a better time to do it! I don't have many memories regarding the movie, or huge nostalgia towards it, but I always remembered how it was the live-action Tom & Jerry movie that I wanted to see. The movie follows two brothers, Ernie and Lars, whose father dies and leaves them his string factory and a huge abandoned house. Upon finding out the house is worth over a million dollars, they want to sell it. Of course, there's always an obstacle. Here, the obstacle is a very cunning and clever mouse that just won't get himself caught no matter how hard the brothers try. That's basically the plot of the movie. It's a 90 minute slapstick comedy that doesn't have much more to it, but damn is it charming. There's something wonderful about seeing two grown men getting outsmarted by a little mouse. The comedy reminded me a lot of Laurel & Hardy in the best way possible! I used to watch a lot of Laurel & Hardy when I was younger and I couldn't stop seeing the similarities between the two main characters here and Laurel & Hardy. The slapstick is very well done. There's some scenes that really got to me and some scenes that didn't quite hit, but most of it was hit, rather than miss. The set design is perfect! I love the look of the house and the way the scenes with the mouse in the walls are shot is very impressive. I was very surprised to see how well this movie was directed. The CGI, as well, impressive. This movie was made in 1997 and some of the animated animals look better than in movies today! The acting's great. I always loved Lee Evans and his charisma. There's just something about him that cheers me up a lot. His reactions to everything and his voice are perfect for a movie like this! Nathan Lane as his brother was great, as well. Christopher Walken also appears shortly in the movie as this badass exterminator that sees catching mice as going to the war. It's very amusing and entertaining. All in all, Mouse Hunt is really worth the watch if you're a fan of the older slapstick comedy movies. I'm not talking about Adam Sandler level of slapstick, I'm talking about Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello type of slapstick. The good type of slapstick.

adog1990 This is one of my favorite comedies that I love and this is the film that made audiences skip Home Alone 3, to see this. While I love Home Alone and I am a fan of slap stick, this film is much better with the slap stick than Home Alone 3. This film is is the debut of Gore Verbinski (famous for the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and Rango) who does a really good job at mixing the elements of the Coen Brothers with Laurel-and-Hardy and John Huges in this funny movie. Although I love John Huges and I am one of his fans, Gore Verbinski had beating him in that year for the funniest slap stick movie. The humor is golden and laugh out loud and it has some wonderful Christopher Walken moments in it. If you are a fan of Home Alone and want something new in the slap stick world besides Home Alone 3. Rent this movie, it is a very funny film you and your kids will enjoy and laugh.

beresfordjd I expected very little given the premise and the fact that Lee Evans was in it. "he is a one-trick pony" I thought, but he is great in this and partnered perfectly with Nathan Lane, a comic actor I just love. It is much darker than one would imagine and that is a very good thing. It has something for all senses of humour and the set pieces are superbly timed and executed. It actually improves with repeated viewing and that is untrue of many comedies. Lane and Evans should make more movies together , they work well off each other. I had not realised that Verbinski had directed Pirates movies and that this was his debut - it is a terrific first outing.