We've said it a bunch of times already, but video game movies are the new comic book movies. Once a maligned genre considered the butt of jokes, top notch talent is attaching themselves to these films to the point that one of them is bound to be a hit. Maybe it will be Assassin's Creed, maybe it will be Splinter Cell, maybe Angry Birds or Warcraft. Maybe it will be all of them. Or maybe it will be the CG-animated Ratchet & Clank movie, based on the best-selling video game adventure franchise featuring an alien mechanic and his robot pal.
Ratchet & Clank is directed by Kevin Munroe, who also helmed the animated TMNT a few years ago. So it's no surprise the animation bears a striking similarity, while the somewhat edgy tone is taken purely from the mature-themed games. James Arnold Taylor and David Kaye voice Ratchet and Clank, while a starry voice cast including Paul Giamatti, Bella Thorne, Sylvester Stallone, John Goodman, and Rosario Dawson chip in. I'm also happy to see voice deity Jim Ward (Biker Mike from Mars) on board as Captain Qwark, and Star Trek:DS9's Armin Shimerman voicing a role, as well.
Here's the plot synopsis:
A CG-animated movie based on the iconic PlayStation video game. Two unlikely heroes struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. Ratchet is the last of his kind, a foolhardy “lombax” who has grown up alone on a backwater planet with no family of his own. Clank is a pint-sized robot with more brains than brawn. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way, they will learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering one’s own identity.
Ratchet & Clank hits theaters April 29th 2016.
