| Plot | Rata2ille and a struggling human chef form an unlikely partnership to disrupt the city's elite culinary scene and take on the powerful corporate interests controlling the automated food industry. |
| Year | |
| Title | Rata2ille |
| Themes | Science fiction • Social commentary • Heartwarming storytelling |
| Setting | Dystopian, high-tech future Paris |
| Director | |
| Distributor | |
| Main characters | Rata2ille (a street rat genetically-enhanced with cybernetic implants) • A struggling human chef |
| Critical reception | Mixed, with the film receiving praise for its darker, more politically-charged tone compared to the original Ratatouille. |
Rata2ille is a 2017 computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Brad Bird and written by Jim Reardon, the film is set in a dystopian, high-tech version of Paris called "Neo-Paris" and follows the story of a street rat named Rata2ille who partners with a struggling human chef to disrupt the city's elite culinary establishment.
In the year 2050, Neo-Paris is a sprawling cyberpunk metropolis dominated by megacorporations that have automated most aspects of daily life through advanced robotics and artificial intelligence. The affluent upper class, known as the "Aristocrats," reside in gated skyscraper communities and enjoy lavish meals prepared by state-of-the-art industrial food processing systems. Meanwhile, the impoverished underclass toils in cramped, technologically-enhanced underground slums known as "The Warrens."
Amidst this stark class divide, a brilliant but genetically-engineered rat named Rata2ille scavenges for scraps in the dark alleys and sewers of Neo-Paris. Rata2ille's cybernetic implants allow him to interface directly with food preparation equipment, giving him unparalleled culinary skills. When he stumbles upon a failed human chef named Linguini who works at one of the Aristocrats' exclusive restaurants, the two form an unlikely partnership.
Linguini, a talented but downtrodden cook whose dreams of culinary greatness have been crushed by the corporate food automation industry, sees Rata2ille's abilities as a chance for redemption. Together, they use Rata2ille's technological know-how to create a series of groundbreaking, high-tech dishes that quickly gain a devoted following among Neo-Paris's discerning foodies.
As word of their underground restaurant operation spreads, Linguini and Rata2ille find themselves at odds with the powerful Gastronomy Combine, a syndicate of food processing executives and Aristocrat investors who seek to maintain their stranglehold on the city's dining scene. A cat-and-mouse game ensues as the duo evade the Combine's robotic enforcers and attempt to expose the company's unethical practices, all while continuing to push the boundaries of culinary innovation.
At its core, Rata2ille explores themes of class struggle, the impact of technology on traditional crafts, and the power of creativity to challenge entrenched systems of control. The film's gritty, cyberpunk aesthetic and focus on social commentary, rather than the simpler food-centric narrative of the original Ratatouille, resulted in a more divisive critical reception.
While praised for its striking visual design, complex worldbuilding, and thought-provoking themes, some reviewers felt Rata2ille's darker tone and political messaging undercut the heartwarming spirit of the Pixar brand. Others, however, welcomed the film's more mature approach, seeing it as a bold, relevant evolution of the Ratatouille story for the 21st century.
Ultimately, Rata2ille stands as a unique entry in the Pixar canon - a visually stunning, intellectually-stimulating work of science fiction that grapples with issues of class, automation, and the role of the individual artist in an increasingly corporate-dominated world. Its impact, like the city of Neo-Paris itself, continues to reverberate through popular culture.
