Movies are rarely as good as the books they are based on. The stories usually need to be simplified in order to fit into a 1 1/2 to 2 hour time frame. Minor (but sometimes lovable) characters get left out or characters are given new motives in order to move the story forward. But I found the changes made to The Tale of Despereaux to be somewhat bizarre.

I realized after we saw this movie that the problems I found in it probably arose from trying to make this story into a G-rated movie. I love that it was made as a G-rated movie - I wish more movies were a little more toned down so that young children could enjoy them. But the producers or writers of this movie seemed to think that G-rated movies must be movies for the preschool crowd. This story was not written for a preschool age group, so the changes don't fit the story. The chef suddenly has a unnecessary, magical, vegetable-based character as his assistant whose primary purpose seems to be to run Despereaux into the dungeon in time to save the princess in the end. Roscuro becomes a "nice" rat instead of a half-good, conflicted rat. Other characters surrounding Despereaux (particularly those in his family) are made benign and have little or no involvement in his being sent to the dungeon in the first place.

The middle of the movie follows the original story more closely than the beginning and end, and I enjoyed that part more. But some elements of the climax might be a little too scary for the preschool crowd, so I really don't understand the writers' choice to make the danger to the princess more intense.

While the story didn't make the transition to this movie so well, the animation was very well-done. The art is lovely. And the message of the power of forgiveness comes through very clearly. Overall, I'd say the movie is worth seeing, especially with younger children who understand enough of the story to know that the princess' rescue is certain. And I would encourage supporting almost any G-rated movie, if for no other reason than to demonstrate that an audience remains for such movies. But just don't go expecting the same quality of story that the original book gave us.