Running time: 87 minutes
Starring: (voices of): John Cusack, Molly Shannon, John Cleese, Eddie Izzard, Steve Buscemi, Jennier Coolidge
Rating 6 out of 10
The question most people reading this review will want answered is whether they can take their young child to see Igor without having their intelligence insulted, end up thinking about their shopping list or clamouring for the finale with an increasing sense of desperation. Happily the answer is that none of the above is likely to happen: Igor has a slightly subversive charm that will keep the 6 to 12 brigade as well as their parents smiling.
In part this is due to John Cusack's skills in voicing the title role. It's the first time he has performed in an animated feature since 1997's Anastasia and his prolonged absence from the genre, unusual for an actor of his status, has clearly invigorated him. He gives a versatile, likeable performance.
Cusack plays the title character, a hunchback living in the faraway land of Malaria, where the King (Jay Leno) is only interested in promoting evil. As a result, hunchbacks are employed far and wide to work for nefarious doctors in their quest to develop more and more award-winning but ill-conceived contraptions, all in the name of pleasing His Majesty. But when Igor's boss Dr Glickenstein (John Cleese) becomes a victim of his own lack of success, Igor is left with his fingers on the lab's buttons.
Inevitably he goes against the grain and creates a huge living female called Eva (Molly Shannon) who, unfortunately for Igor, is the epitome of good. An evil prince (Eddie Izzard) tries to get his hands on her for his own illicit purposes while Igor tries to curtail Eva's desires to become a famous actress.
There are some nice jokes about our celebrity culture and Cusack is given good support by Steve Buscemi as his lab assistant, as well as Izzard and Shannon. Director Antony Leondis gives the visuals a suitably gothic look and keeps the pace up, ensuring that Igor doesn't outstay his welcome.
Paul Hurley
In part this is due to John Cusack's skills in voicing the title role. It's the first time he has performed in an animated feature since 1997's Anastasia and his prolonged absence from the genre, unusual for an actor of his status, has clearly invigorated him. He gives a versatile, likeable performance.
Cusack plays the title character, a hunchback living in the faraway land of Malaria, where the King (Jay Leno) is only interested in promoting evil. As a result, hunchbacks are employed far and wide to work for nefarious doctors in their quest to develop more and more award-winning but ill-conceived contraptions, all in the name of pleasing His Majesty. But when Igor's boss Dr Glickenstein (John Cleese) becomes a victim of his own lack of success, Igor is left with his fingers on the lab's buttons.
Inevitably he goes against the grain and creates a huge living female called Eva (Molly Shannon) who, unfortunately for Igor, is the epitome of good. An evil prince (Eddie Izzard) tries to get his hands on her for his own illicit purposes while Igor tries to curtail Eva's desires to become a famous actress.
There are some nice jokes about our celebrity culture and Cusack is given good support by Steve Buscemi as his lab assistant, as well as Izzard and Shannon. Director Antony Leondis gives the visuals a suitably gothic look and keeps the pace up, ensuring that Igor doesn't outstay his welcome.
Paul Hurley
