The Bad Guys (PG, 100 minutes)
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3 stars
I was not familiar with Australian author Aaron Blabey's book series so this animated film, adapted from his work, was a pleasant surprise. It's not a classic, like the best of Disney or Pixar, but it's good, well-made entertainment.
The Bad Guys is set in one of those strange worlds where humans and animals (who are often human sized and human-like) co-exist.
Our titual anti-heroes are a group of creatures who are members of species regularly hated and feared. Pickpocket and leader Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell), safecracker Snake (Marc Maron), tough Pirahna (Anthony Ramos), master of disguise Shark (Craig Robinson), and hacker Spider aka Webs (Awkwafina) - those eight limbs come in handy for speedy computer work - have decided that if they're always going to be viewed as baddies, they might as well BE baddies and profit from a life of crime.
With their blend of talents, they're good at it, too, carrying out heists, amassing loot and eluding the authorities.
All good - or should that be bad? - things come to an end, however.
When they're in the process of stealing a humanitarian award being given to wealthy guinea pig philanthropist Rupert Marmalade IV (Richard Ayoade) by Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) something happens that gives Fox a change of heart.
He is, out of habit, trying to steal, but ends up saving his would-be victim from falling down some stairs (he's a thief, not a killer). The resulting appreciation and praise, which he's not used to getting, give him an unexpected - and happy - feeling.
Could being good be better than being bad?
He and the gang are exposed and arrested but, smooth talker that he is, Fox persuades the altruistic Marmalade to take them in and reform them, thus doing yet another good deed.
Police chief Luggins (Alex Forstein) is frustrated - she had them at last! - but Marmalade, ever the humanitarian, agrees to try.
There is certainly a nod to Quentin Tarantino in the opening scene.
Although Wolf's flutter of good feeling after doing a good deed was apparently genuine, he has an ulterior motive: he is setting things up so the gang can steal Marmalade's award while being "reformed".
The story goes on from there with multiple schemes, twists, reversals and revelations but while there's a lot going on it's not hard to follow.
There's plenty here to appeal to audiences of all ages.
It's funny and colourful for younger kids and sophisticated enough for older kids and adults to enjoy too - fun for the whole family, as the saying goes.
While there are Lessons here - about prejudice, about goodness, about appearances versus reality - they're well integrated into the story and emerge naturally rather than feeling like finger-wagging.
There are the obligatory pop-culture references for older audiences but they're generally well-integrated rather than feeling inserted just for their own sake. There's certainly a nod to Quentin Tarantino in the opening scene. It's a snappy dialogue between Wolf and Snake at a diner concerning the gustatory appeal of guinea pigs.
The voice cast for this Dreamworks feature has been well chosen. Standouts include Rockwell as Wolf, Beetz as the foxy (in more then one sense) governor, Ayoade as Marmalade and Maron as the grouchy but secretly sensitive Snake, but all have their moments to shine, in dialogue and occasionally in song.
First-time feature director Pierre Perifel does a good job keeping the story fast-paced and entertaining.
Having seen this and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 at Dendy on the same day I have no hesitation in recommending this for all but hardcore Sonic fans.