Tom And Jerry (2021)

Tom And Jerry is currently out in theaters and available to stream on HBO Max. Originally slated for a theatrical release date on December 20th, but the ongoing COVID-19 delayed its release on February 26th. As you may know Warner Bros. (WB for short) will simultaneously release their slate of upcoming movies in theaters and stream at home on HBO Max.

Today’s review contains crucial SPOILERS. If you’re interested in seeing Tom And Jerry back on the big screen, skip this article and watch it. If you’re not interested, read at your own risk. Is Tom & Jerry’s movie a hit or miss? Let’s find out shall we?

Hit & Miss Elements

Hit: Animation brought the duo and other animals to life. It pushes my buttons WB never made an all out animated movie.

Cinematography was surprisingly shot well without relying on Shaky Cam.

Humor retains the duo’s signature slapstick, visual gags, unintentionally destroying furniture, Tom enduring Jerry’s attacks and you can’t forget about Tom yelling like a human.

Lil Rey Howery voices both Tom’s shoulder angel and devil. I would assume Key & Peele weren’t available.

Spike The Bulldog appears as an engaged couple’s pet. His son Tyke however, is not in it.

Droopy The Dog makes a cameo appearance at the dog pound.

The duo never speak a single word. WB took notes from the 1992 movie when they spoke dialogue. Washing away a horrible memory. They express their personality via body language and facial reactions. Tom retains his trademark yelling in pain from the cartoons.

Tom does his impression of Batman as he uses homemade wings to glide towards Jerry. I’m sad Robert Pattinson’s upcoming Batman movie is delayed til’ 2022 due, to COVID-19. At least James Gunn’s upcoming “The Suicide Squad” might cheer me up.

My favorite part is when Butch & Tom create a cartoon-esque tumbleweed. We get to see what’s inside with the former attacking the latter while objects fly all over the area.

Miss: Tim Story (Fantastic Four 2005, Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer) failed to double check the script.

I did not care about a wedding at the hotel where the duo are fighting.

Unlike “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” Animation and Live Action coexisting with each other doesn’t seem to fit with the titular characters. Animals and insects are in cartoon form while the rest of the environment and humans are rather plain dull like staring at a wet paint before it gets dry. WB wasted an opportunity to make a fully animated movie and be a part of “Scoob” which is the first installment of a cinematic universe based on Hanna-Barbera characters. Talk about a misfire. Gonna have to Double Down this con for making feel disappointed they won’t be crossing over Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones among many others.

The entire movie is predictable. The duo constantly fight, become friends and fight again. They’re not complex three dimensional characters like Professor X & Magneto from “X-Men.” Unlike Tom And Jerry, they have different motivations, how they view humans and lead a group of mutants. Professor X enlists members of the X-Men to protect humanity while Magneto however, attempts to eliminate humans.

Speaking of human characters, I never cared about them except Ken Jeong’s character as a chef. Whenever a human character shows up, I was miserably bored, I often check how long this movie is gonna end. This is the 2011 live action/animated “The Smurfs” all over again.

A scene from one of the trailers is missing. It shows the duo getting kicked out by their owners. They made a truce so they can find a new home. Then, they bid each other farewell. Why did WB delete this bittersweet moment? That would’ve worked on why they live in New York City. WB never learned their lesson interfering with somebody’s work like Zack Snyder’s “Justice League” and David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad.” When will they learn from their past mistakes?

Do not. I repeat, do not watch a Post-Credits Scene. It’s a waste of valuable time alongside the rest of the movie’s runtime spanning 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Product Placement (Pee Pee for short) only shows one brand, Apple. I’ll let this con slide. You win this round Tom And Jerry.

The Final Verdict: D, FOR DOG POOP!

Although slightly better than the 1992 version Tom And Jerry’s 2021 movie isn’t a grand comeback for the iconic duo. I was never invested with the human characters taking away their spotlight. If you’re a fan of Tom And Jerry growing up, you’re gonna be utterly miserable. If you want to watch a legit movie mixing live action and animation, go watch Who Framed Roger Rabbit, “Space Jam” & “Osmosis Jones.” I hope “Space Jam: A New Legacy” better not disappoint me.

Don’t worry fellow movie goers. A real epic battle focusing on Godzilla & King Kong will eventually be released this March. I’m rooting for Godzilla. King Kong better find a way to kick The King Of Monster’s backside.