Talking animals already have a soft spot in my heart, especially when they look like they’re up to no good. So when I came across this one, I wasn’t expecting depth or darkness and I also wasn’t expecting that it is an animated film with my kind of smartness but here we are. At first glance, you think you’re signing up for a cheeky talking-animal adventure. And yes, it is funny, chaotic, and witty. But beneath the whiskers and scam tactics, there’s something a little darker and smarter simmering underneath.
Brief Synopsis
The story follows Maurice, a street-smart, self-aware talking cat who partners with a group of highly intelligent rats, including Dangerous Beans, the visionary leader, Peaches, practical and sharp, and other members of the so-called educated rodents. Alongside them is Keith, a naive boy who plays the pipe. Together, they run a con where the rats secretly infest towns, Keith dramatically drives them away, and Maurice collects the reward money. It’s a perfect little hustle until they arrive in the eerie town of Bad Blintz, where a much more sinister force is at work beneath the streets.
And that’s where the tone shifts.
It Is More Than a Kids’ Film
What really had me glued to this movie is that it doesn’t treat its audience like they’re clueless. Some jokes are clearly meant for adults, others land easily for children. Maurice himself is hilariously selfish at first. He’s charming, greedy, and always calculating his next move. But as the story unfolds, you start seeing cracks in that somewhat cool exterior.
The rats, especially Dangerous Beans, bring unexpected depth. Their conversations about survival, identity, and whether intelligence makes them better or just more vulnerable actually did hit harder than I expected from an animated film. In my opinion, it subtly explores what happens when creatures become aware of morality. Once you know right from wrong, you can’t unknow it.
it.
Let’s talk about the villain without spoiling too much. The presence beneath the town is genuinely unsettling. For a family film, some scenes carry a creepy atmosphere that might surprise much younger viewers. There’s tension, shadowy sewer sequences, and an underlying theme about exploitation and control. Too many animated films play it safe but this one leans into the discomfort just enough to make the stakes feel real.
At its core, this story is about responsibility. Maurice begins as someone who benefits from manipulation. The rats are his tools. Keith is naive and just plays along for survival of course because money sure comes first. But as danger escalates, the film puts a question out there, ‘What do you do when survival isn’t enough anymore?’
As the film progresses, it becomes a story about opting for decency when selfishness would have been easier. It becomes more about community and whether intelligence without empathy is just another form of cruelty. There’s also something interesting about power here, from who has it, who abuses it, to who learns to reject it.
The animation style is bright and expressive, though not hyper-polished like some big studio productions. But it works in its favor as it gives the world a slightly storybook, slightly offbeat feel, pretty fitting for its source material. The pacing is steady, and while it may dragged slightly in the middle, I watched on 2.5x speed, the final act pulls everything together emotionally.
I didn’t expect to care this much about a con-artist cat and revolutionary rodents, but it is what it is.
Finally, this film is funny, and unexpectedly thoughtful. It’s the kind of animated film that respects its audience. I'm sure kids will enjoy the adventure.
Rating: 7/10