×
  • Entertainment - Movie Reviews
  • Updated: March 24, 2022

'Tom And Jerry' Review: A Hollow, Shallow Repititive Mess

'Tom And Jerry' Review: A Hollow, Shallow Repititive Mess

The Tom and Jerry movie tries to capture the comic wonder of the cartoon series but ends up being a noisy affair with distracting music.

From the moment the decision was made to helm a live-action/2D animated hybrid of the beloved classic, there was little possibility of making something worthwhile. In the end, Tom and Jerry pales in comparison with the source material.

Directed by Tim Story, the movie stars Chloe Grace Moretz as Kayla, a girl who gains employment in a prestigious hotel in New York by posing to be who she is not. Her job is marred by the presence of the titular cat and mouse whose feud threatens to ruin a wedding between two famous individuals in the hotel.

Michael Pena co-stars as Terence, the event manager of the hotel (and Kayla's boss), who is suspicious of her the moment she appears. He wants to get rid of her but can't quite find a way to do that.

As Tom and Jerry's antics continue to mess things up, Kayla decides to use Tom's feline instincts to capture and get rid of Jerry.

READ ALSO: 'Namaste Wahala' Spoiler-Free Review

Colin Jost and Pallavi Sharda are the couple whose arrival at the hotel is greeted with warm hospitality. Their wedding is set to be one of the most momentous occasions in the history of the hotel.  But things begin to go sideways when Kayla's efforts to stop the mayhem continuously caused by Tom and Jerry leads to more and more disaster.

A scene from TOM AND JERRY

One doesn't expect much from the plot of this kind of movie, but putting in a few surprises wouldn't have hurt. Instead, what we get is a string of predictable sequences and a lead actress who is seriously lacking in the comedy department.

Moretz became a screen darling after her impressive performance as Hit-Girl in the Kick-Ass films. After then, she has continued to show promise as a talented actress. Unfortunately, her acting here isn't all that convincing.

Her character is not really someone you root for and Moretz has a lot of work to do if she plans to convince audiences that she can portray hilarious characters. Her acting comes across as forced, and she tries too hard at times.

Chloe Grace Moretz as Kayla in TOM AND JERRY

Pena who usually steals the screen in whatever role he is given is one of the film's worthy distractions but even he can't save it from being a forgettable affair. His character doesn't have much to do other than be suspicious of Kayla and make a fool of himself.

As for the visual effects, they weren't bad at all. I was impressed with how the 2D characters interacted with real-life objects and made contact with them. But when sharing scenes with humans, the viewer could easily tell that the animated characters weren't really there.

A scene from TOM AND JERRY

The eponymous characters are supposed to be the best part of the movie but this is not the case. Admittedly, there were a few scenes when their clashes brought back memories of the classic cartoon series. But for the most part, their actions were repetitive; Tom trying to catch Jerry (and failing) and Jerry constantly outwitting Tom.

If you want to make a Tom and Jerry movie, give us something that is lacking in the animated series. To be fair to the writer Kevin Costello, there is the romance subplot between Ben and Preeta but even that doesn't help this film wallow in mediocrity.

The music is another element that was too distracting. It was good but at times, not needed. It felt more like noise than melody at times.

Moretz and Michael Pena in TOM AND JERRY

I wouldn't say I was disappointed after watching Tom and Jerry because I knew it was bound to be a letdown. I just expected more from Moretz and Pena whose inclusion didn't even ease the feeling of disappointment.

This was a wasted effort in my opinion and that isn't easy to say as I'm well aware of how much work goes into these types of movies. I wish something better and more creative was greenlit instead.

Conclusively, Tom and Jerry is a loud, fanciful, and hollow mess that doesn't leave any lasting impression.

Rating: 5/10.

 

Related Topics

Join our Telegram platform to get news update Join Now

0 Comment(s)

See this post in...

Notice

We have selected third parties to use cookies for technical purposes as specified in the Cookie Policy. Use the “Accept All” button to consent or “Customize” button to set your cookie tracking settings