The Great Mouse Detective

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: July 2, 1986

CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION

73	METASCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

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Critic Reviews

Critic score Publication By date

Roger Ebert

What's fun is the carefree way the animators swing through their story, using the freedom of the cartoon form to blend 19th century realism with images that seem borrowed from more recent special-effects pictures. Read full review

Christian Blauvelt

Mouse Detective, though, just tries to get by with nothing more than the novelty of having rodents play detective, and then pulls the rug out from under it by showing, however briefly, the human Holmes and Watson. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

As usual with film noir, however, it is the villain who steals the heart and one is rooting for in the breathtaking showdown high up in the cogs and ratchets of Big Ben. Read full review

TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)

The engaging characters play out the action against elegantly designed backgrounds. The story is genuinely exciting, a well-told tale that is entertaining to both children and adults without compromising the expectations of either group. The voices are perfectly cast, particulary Price as the evil Ratigan. Read full review

EmpireIan Nathan

The genuinely witty and endearing Disney animation that everyone forgets. Read full review

Caren Weiner Campbell

The Great Mouse Detective‘s few tunes are unmemorable and all the action (aside from the inventive chase sequences) is snooze-worthy. Only the incomparable Vincent Price (as Ratigan) is worth the price.

Charles Solomon

The Great Mouse Detective reflects the energy and enthusiasm of a talented group of young artists stretching their wings for the first time. That group has gone on to produce some truly extraordinary work, win awards and earn sums no one believed could be made from an animated film. And, as has often been the case at Disney, it all began with a mouse. Read full review

Nina Darnton

In The Great Mouse Detective the Disney formula is used undiluted, and that is how it works best. The heroes are appealing, the villains have that special Disney flair - humorous blackguards who really enjoy being evil -and the script is witty and not overly sentimental. Read full review

Johanna Steinmetz

What it all comes down to is the basic question: Is this just a movie for children? Not really. It's more a movie for the childlike--of any age. [02 July 1986, p.3C]

Dorothy Mackinnon

Disney's signature touch is in the movie's perspective. It's all seen from a mouse-eye's view, low to the ground and looking up, just as small children see the world. [04 July 1986, p.N29]

Paul Attanasio

A delightful and frequently funny cartoon feature based on the characters of the Sherlock Holmes series. [07 July 1986, p.B8]

Jay Scott

Disney unleashes a mousey minor masterpiece. [02 July 1986, p.C5]

Glenda Cohn Wolin

The Great Mouse Detective is destined to be a classic -- not just for the old-time quality of the animation, but for its general superiority over such recent Disney efforts as The Black Cauldron. [16 July 1986, p.D4]