The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

The "Moriarty" inspired "Ratigan" is a nasty piece of work! He kidnaps a toy-maker with a view to making toy that will embody this evil genius with the power to dominate the world! Needless to say, this piques the interest of the formidable sleuthing team that is "Basil" and "Dawson" and so in best "Holmes/Watson" tradition they must examine every detail and follow every trail if they are to find and thwart their nemesis. I did quite enjoy this. It develops a sense of menacing mischief quite engagingly over seventy five minutes with some wittily crafted scripting and some clues for all of us to follow as the future of "Mousedom" is at stake. The whole Victorian scenario allows the animators to capitalise on the costumes, the enquiring scientific minds of the day and, of course, the whole sense of Empire, decency and loyalty. The precarious denouement at Big Ben tops off an enjoyable adventure film that focusses much more on character and story than endless special effects and CGI - and it's entertaining!