In the, err, spotty history of film adaptations of video games, Ratchet & Clank actually ranks pretty high.
But the game is still better.
The story of Ratchet (voiced by James Arnold Taylor, who has voiced the character in games since 2003) is familiar. He's a young mechanic who's good at his job who dreams of bigger and better things. Specifically, he longs to be one of the Galactic Rangers, a small group of heroes led by his idol, Captain Qwark (Jim Ward).
As tends to happen in this kind of movie, Ratchet has greatness thrust upon him when Clank (David Kaye, the original voice of Clank since 2002), a small "defective" robot soldier, crash lands on Ratchet's planet warning of an impending attack on a populated city.
Ratchet & Clank is a colorful, sometimes action-packed sci-fi movie that can elicit laughter from younger audiences with its corny jokes and visual humor, but there's not any depth to the journey that would make older audiences want to come back. A few jokes try to be clever (for example, there's a Wilhelm Scream joke that your kids aren't going to appreciate), but more often than not they keep it simple -- and sometimes stupid.
The diabolical plot of Chairman Drek (Paul Giamatti) is easy to follow, but the motivations are hard to understand, and I left the theater trying to remember if the movie ever laid them out at all. And the lessons Ratchet learns by the end of his adventure? He seems to have stumbled onto those nuggets by sheer accident, growing all at once rather than naturally over time.
At the end of the day, there just isn't a lot to the events of Ratchet & Clank. In fact, some events are clearly skimmed over. At one point early on in the story, Ratchet makes his way to the local Galactic Ranger tryouts. But once he arrives, we immediately cut to the aftermath and don't see him run through the evaluation course at all. (In the game, this plot section is playable. Just one of many ways in which the game is a superior product.)
Along with Giamatti, some big names sprinkle the voice cast of Ratchet & Clank, including John Goodman, Rosario Dawson, Bella Thorne and Sylvester Stallone. They each do fine (though Armin Shimerman's Dr. Nefarious borders on exceedingly annoying), but their individual talents also feel a bit wasted.
Interestingly, the newest video game in the Ratchet & Clank series (a video game based on the movie that's based on the video game. Yes, seriously) is an explosive romp through impressive environments that encourages you to play it multiple times, even though a single playthrough will take you much longer than the running time of the feature film. It features many of the same scenes that the movie alongside additional characters and dialogue that do a better job of fleshing out the world than the movie does in its hour and a half.
If you have a PlayStation 4, the Ratchet & Clank game is easy to recommend for all ages. The Ratchet & Clank movie, though, might be best left for the younger crowd. It's not offensively bad, but it's also not terribly engaging.
RATCHET & CLANK (C+)
Directed by Kevin Munroe and Jericca Cleland. PG (for action and some rude humor). 94 minutes. In wide release.
