Warner Bros. Pictures' Tom & Jerry adaptation has finally hit theaters. For those who don't feel like venturing to a theater during the pandemic, you can catch it on WarnerMedia's streaming service, HBO Max, as part of the company's plans to release its 2021 film slate in theaters and online simultaneously.
The live-action/animated hybrid film is an adaptation based on the cartoon series of the same name created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The movie stars Chloë Grace Moretz as an event planner at New York City's finest hotel. On the eve of the wedding of the century, she hires Tom to help get rid of Jerry, resulting in the legendary cat-and-mouse rivalry.
While the Hanna-Barbera cartoon is a classic, it appears as though the translation to the big screen doesn't quite work out. Initial reviews for Tom & Jerry are out and while there are only nine of them as of this writing, it doesn't look good for the film.
Tom & Jerry currently sits at a 44% on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. Most critics seem to agree that it's a perfectly ordinary family film that kids will enjoy, but that it's ultimately held back by a lackluster script. The 2D animation was praised, as were some of the shenanigans from Tom and Jerry, but the overall consensus seems to be that it fails to capture the true nature of these iconic characters. Here's a snippet of some of the reviews:
The Only Critic - C
Tim Story's uninspired "Tom & Jerry" won't get docked for lack of enthusiasm, but the human component outlined throughout Kevin Costello's hollow screenplay undercuts most shenanigans Tom and Jerry get entangled in.
Mama's Geeky - 2.5/5
The mixture of 2D animation and live action really works -- but it isn't enough to help the script, mediocre acting, and too long runtime. Kids will enjoy it though!
Hollywood Reporter
Tom & Jerry is five to ten minutes of action that might have worked in one of the cartoon duo's shorts, surrounded by an inordinate amount of unimaginative, unfunny human-based conflict.
IGN Movies 6/10
Tom & Jerry is a sufficient family offering with a cool cast, a sparkling soundtrack, and occasional fun.
TheWrap
One could point out the film's changing rules regarding the laws of physics, and inter-species communications, but Tom & Jerry certainly doesn't care about those details, so why should we?
It's still relatively early for the film so it's possible additional reviews could help boost Tom & Jerry's overall score; but, as of this writing, the general sentiment is that it's a fine film for children that doesn't offer much else.
The good news is that if you already subscribe to HBO Max, you don't have to pay any sort of premium access charge. You can watch it for free with your subscription while it's featured on the streaming service for one month.
One of the most beloved rivalries in history is reignited when Jerry moves into New York City’s finest hotel on the eve of “the wedding of the century,” forcing the event’s desperate planner to hire Tom to get rid of him, in director Tim Story’s “Tom & Jerry.” The ensuing cat and mouse battle threatens to destroy her career, the wedding and possibly the hotel itself. But soon, an even bigger problem arises: a diabolically ambitious staffer conspiring against all three of them.
Do you plan on watching Tom & Jerry?