18. The Great Mouse Detective- 1986
Basil of Baker Street and Dawson have a great dynamic in Disney’s The Great Mouse Detective.
Rating: 🔥 that’s hot
Renowned detective Basil of Baker Street is called on to solve the kidnapping of a toy maker. He discovers that his arch-nemesis, Professor Ratigan, is behind the abduction and it is up to Basil to find him and save England from his evil clutches.
I was surprised by this movie. I’d seen it several years ago and didn’t particularly enjoy it but this time around I was delightfully entertained! Basil is a quirky protagonist that’s easy to root for. Sherlock Holmes stories are always a fun mystery and I enjoyed Disney’s twist on an archetypal detective tale. Ratigan is a classic villain that we can usually count on from a Disney flick. He’s evil, visually memorable, and has a clear objective. After watching The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective feels like a breath of fresh air as it delivers a clear Hero’s Journey and a formidable villain, which the previous movie so clearly failed to do.
Professor Ratigan is a classic Disney villain.
