‘The Amazing Maurice’ REVIEW: Furry Tails, Fairy Tales
‘The Amazing Maurice’ REVIEW: Furry Tails, Fairy Tales
Hugh Laurie as Maurice and Himesh Patel as Keith | Still courtesy of Ulysses Films & Cantilever Media
It already feels like a lifetime ago but I still remember parts of my childhood afternoons filled with the comfort of watching after-school cartoons on our chunky television. With the screen lighting up my face as I ate some merienda in my wrinkled, sun-warmed uniform, it was always the highlight of my day. Looking back, the love I had for animation certainly never changed, and for what it’s worth, I feel I’ve somehow retained that childlike wonder despite navigating the rough paths and realities of young adulthood.
In a way, that’s exactly what Maurice has been through — a harsh, cold-blooded world full of detours and deceitful beings. The Amazing Maurice exposes what appears to be a scam orchestrated by cats and rats, tricking people into believing that an abundance of rodents caused plague and famine, and that they’ve come to the rescue with their own Pied Piper named Keith, voiced by Himesh Patel. Led by Maurice, the scheming ginger cat played by Hugh Laurie, the Pied Piper and the army of self-taught talking rats scour every town, milking their theatrical performance just to get by.
Fueled by the desire to survive, the industrious rats latch onto Maurice, who cunningly sells them the fantasy of a magic island where they can enjoy a life of rest and relaxation — as long as they secure a lot of money. Living on the fringes of society, they can only dream of catching a break from their daily labor. In a bid to cope, they take pride in being 'civilized rats' by dressing like humans and educating themselves to speak, reminding us that they represent an all-too-familiar workforce caught in a relentless rat race.
Emilia Clarke as Malicia Grim | Still courtesy of Ulysses Films & Cantilever Media
Clearly drawing parallels between reality and fairy tales, the film presents Malicia Grim, a self-aware, chatty bookworm brought to life by Emilia Clarke, directly from the image of an idealist living within the pages of her storybooks. An optimist archetype, she juxtaposes Maurice’s adventures with those of Mr. Bunnsy and his anthropomorphic friends — characters inspired by Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit and The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, the former of which I still enjoy as an adult.
Bleak as her name may be, Malicia embodies quite the opposite; she recognizes how tales reflect our realities, even the darker sides we prefer to ignore. By introducing a meta-narrative, she not only breaks the fourth wall by pointing out plot devices and elements but also sees beyond the surface, knowing that every story has a lesson or a trap waiting to be discovered. In this case, the trap goes beyond the cheese, revealing dire truths about survival and moral ambiguities that lurk beneath the surface of what seem to be innocent tales.
It took me back to my own experiences during summer enrichment classes in fourth grade, where we would watch films like Enchanted — which also contrasts fairy tale expectations versus modern reality — and spend our time discussing narrative elements, all while daydreaming about the possibility of telling our own stories someday. These conversations opened my eyes to the importance of challenging conventional structures and narratives, similar to how Enchanted critiques idealized notions of romance.
The Amazing Maurice explores the complicated, often dismal aspects of life, akin to the old fairy tales it alludes to, chock-full of brutality and disturbing imagery. Using the grim tales of Hansel & Gretel and The Pied Piper—both intertwined with themes of famine, survival, and temptation—the plot thickens as the characters grapple with the consequences and ethical implications of their choices.
Malicia (Emilia Clarke) with Keith (Himesh Patel) | Still courtesy of Ulysses Films & Cantilever Media
Rich in references, it came to me as a pleasant surprise when I learned that the film is based on the late Terry Pratchett’s novel The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, a work that encapsulates his signature wit and sharp social commentary. Pratchett’s storytelling weaves together humor and depth, presenting complex themes in a way that is accessible to both children and adults.
True enough, The Amazing Maurice proved itself to be unexpectedly hilarious with its clever dialogue, playful character dynamics, and mischievous remarks that often poke fun at the absurdity of their circumstances, using lines that deftly highlight their awareness of the tropes and clichés of the tales they inhabit. This reinforces the notion that it trusts younger audiences to handle darker and more serious concepts drawn from the cautionary tales of old, rife with danger and deception. Just as Maurice and his gang navigate a world filled with greed and malice, they ultimately uncover the nuances of morality.
It’s within these layers that the character development of the entire ensemble shines through. Each of them, from Maurice to Malicia, undergoes a metamorphosis that reflects the film’s exploration of the intricacies beyond good and evil. Like a typical feline trickster, our orange cat walks into the story with an air of confidence — sly and somehow aloof. Once inconsiderate and jaded, he gradually evolves and sheds his self-serving tendencies in the face of adversity. Much like how cats can also be affectionate, he shows a softer side that reveals his sensibilities to form deeper, genuine connections.
On the other hand, Keith reluctantly steps onto the stage in his bashful timidity—a trait he’d slowly learn to turn into bravery. Malicia follows through with her own arc of change, confronting the stark contrast between her ‘fairy-tale logic’ and the grueling world. The rats, too, have their share of struggles fighting an uphill battle, striving for acceptance in a society that only sees them as nuisances.
Maurice (Hugh Laurie) with (L-R) Darktan (Ariyon Bakare), Peaches (Gemma Arterton), Dangerous Beans (David Tennant), Sardines (Joe Sugg), and Nourishing (Julie Atherton) | Still courtesy of Ulysses Films & Cantilever Media
Unlike whimsical fairy tales where ‘happily ever after’ is tied neatly with a bow, The Amazing Maurice unfolds a journey through the gray areas between right and wrong. It debunks the concept of heroes through the clunky armor of a cat’s antihero and holds a mirror to the shells of our fairest, former selves. It could’ve been a fresh, grim fairy tale, but instead, it leans into lighthearted humor to subvert traditional narrative structures, shrouding the fine line between innocence and exploitation.
As it elicits a sense of introspection, echoing that the world is not just black and white, it also taps into cinematic techniques that heighten its animated experience. The colorful voice acting infuses characters with life, particularly Hugh Laurie’s cheeky portrayal of Maurice, which feels molded after the Cheshire Cat and its mischievous grin from Alice in Wonderland. The spectacular mesh of sunlight and shadows dances across textures of hair, clothes, and objects, weaving a visual tapestry that complements the funky dimensions and designs of the characters.
Although it’s nowhere near the visual grandeur of the Puss in Boots franchise, The Amazing Maurice packs its own chonk of a feline fighting alongside friends as they embark on adventures (or rather, misadventures) that eventually send them down paths they are meant to take. Along the way, they encounter notorious villains such as the Rat King and Death (the Grim Reaper), whose presence raises the stakes of their quest in a multiverse of fairy tale figures.
It reveals the linking lore thriving within environments that blend the charm of the familiar with the mythical — villages adorned with timber-framed houses lining cobblestoned streets, evoking classic European fairy tale locales. Despite its traditional roots, it demonstrates levels of advanced craftsmanship, with fluid sequences and clean transitions permeating the screens. Every frame is a vivid canvas and a testament to the animators’ unwavering dedication to the art form as they made this film remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, painting The Amazing Maurice into a modern-day story of strength and ingenuity against all odds.
The Amazing Maurice was one of the films screened as part of Goethe-Institut Philippinen’s KinoFest 2024 last September 26-29, 2024 at the Shangri-La Plaza Red Carpet Cinemas. It is also available to stream on Hulu, Apple TV, and Disney+.
