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There may still be restrictions on bringing cultural items from Russia into the UK due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, one film has managed to slip through. Created by a production company in Moscow called Licensing Brands, Cats in the Museum is an animated movie that follows the adventures of cats in a museum. It may be a perfect choice for young children during the holidays when other options may be too intense.
The main character of the movie is a male orange cat (voiced by Jordan Worsley in the English version) who is stranded on a desert island without a name. He eventually makes his way to the museum mentioned in the title, but before that, he only has a painting of a woman and a cat that resembles a Modigliani imitation for companionship. However, his solitude is broken when a mouse named Maurice (played by Stephen Krisel) befriends him and gives him the name Vincent, in honor of the famous artist Van Gogh.
Maurice has an unusual taste for eating paintings. He has a remarkable ability to discern between genuine masterpieces and fake ones just by tasting them. Through a series of unusual circumstances, he ends up at the Hermitage with his unlikely friend Vincent. Here, they encounter a group of cats who reside in the museum and have a strong sense of civic duty to protect the art from potential threats, including Maurice. It is evident that the creator of this film is unfamiliar with cats, as any cat owner knows that they are not interested in pack behavior or protecting property.
A blue ghost cat with a Scottish accent (played by Michael Kleeman) causes chaos in the museum by being able to enter the paintings on the wall. This gives the movie an opportunity to showcase the impressive collection at the Hermitage, which is often highlighted in Russian films funded by the Ministry of Culture.
The overall plot is a combination of James Mayhew’s Katie books and Aleksandr Sokurov’s Russian Ark, with elements of a girl entering paintings and a single-shot tour of the Hermitage. The animated art scenes are enjoyable, but also expose the film’s less impressive visuals. The character animation is decent, although the script lacks depth and leaves the only female character, named Cleopatra, with little to do except fawn over Vincent.
Source: theguardian.com
