Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
In an English village, a reporter and a mechanic listen to a ratcatcher explain his clever plan to outwit his prey.
Wes Anderson's short adaptation of Roald Dahl's story is elevated primarily by Ralph Fiennes's commanding, darkly comedic performance as the ratcatcher, whose monologue is genuinely captivating. The cinematography follows Anderson's signature symmetrical style competently but doesn't push beyond his established aesthetic. The plot, being a faithful adaptation of a brief short story, is slight by nature — atmospheric and fun but thin. Novelty is moderate: it's distinctively Andersonian but part of a series of similar Dahl adaptations. The ending, true to Dahl's unsettling tone, lands well but without major surprise.