Movies like “Space Jam” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” were groundbreaking experiences in the 1980s/90s, as these films seamlessly blended live-action elements with animated characters, resulting in real actors performing alongside cartoons. However, in the 2020s, this concept is no longer a novelty, and unfortunately, the 2021 movie “Tom & Jerry” fails to deliver an entertaining mix of two different worlds. Instead, it is mildly amusing and mostly irritating. At the very least, the filmmakers could have improved the animation since they did not use the original visual versions.
Directed by Tim Story, ironically, the weakest aspect of the film is its story. While a lot of the original slapstick humor remains, none of it is particularly hilarious. The plot revolves around a new mouse in town named Jerry, who is searching for a home in New York and encounters the devious cat Tom, who pretends to be a blind pianist to earn money. Jerry dances to Tom’s music and steals the hearts of the crowd, leading to a bitter rivalry between the two. When Jerry decides to stay in a fancy New York hotel, new employee Kayla (Chloë Grace Moretz) teams up with Tom to get rid of the mouse. Chaos ensues.
It is challenging to remain interested in the story, as the animation is too basic and does not blend well with the settings. Instead of using the outdated artwork that looks like it was made in the 90s, the filmmakers should have made a fully animated short film.
Overall, I would rate this movie a 5 out of 10.
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