Story
Vincent the cat (Roman Kurtsyn) is washed overboard from his home on a ship and finds himself on a deserted island in the remains of an old mansion. He lives happily until a freak storm and a strange accident destroy the house and nearly kill him.
Vincent is saved from the sea by a mouse named Maurice (Diomid Vinogradov), who allows him to hide inside a floating harpsichord, and the pair soon become friends. The harpsichord is plucked from the ocean by a passing ship and delivered to the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
There the pair encounter an elite team of cats, honoured with the task of guarding the museum’s artistic treasures from every type of threat and danger. Vincent, desperate to belong to a family and find his place in the world, wants this new group to think highly of him. But at the same time, he doesn’t want to ruin his friendship with Maurice, whom the museum cats want to eat.
Vincent walks a fine line between concealing his friend from the other cats and attempting to join them in protecting the many treasures. A task that’s made even more difficult by the fact that Maurice, like other mice, likes to taste magnificent artwork.
With the imminent delivery of the Mona Lisa, Maurice is ecstatically looking forward to tasting something that no other mouse has sunk their teeth into. But between the shenanigans of a crazy ghost, the demands of being part of a protective squadron and the attention of a seductive feline called Cleopatra (Polina Gagarina), Vincent struggles to get his priorities straight. In the end he must do the unexpected to help save the painting from a greater threat than he had ever imagined.
Themes
Separation from family; animalistic nature; betrayal; sexist stereotypes and the danger of looking outward to find value that should come from within.
Violence
Cats in the Museum has some violence. For example:
- A dog smashes into the side of a ship that is being dragged out to sea. The tide slams it back into an island, which causes a landslide and a house to break apart.
- An army of rats attack a palace in Saint Petersburg. They are defeated by a gang of cats.
- Maurice lands on a toy train that begins racing him down an incomplete track. When the track ends the train crashes to the floor below and Maurice is flung into the air where he lands in a suspended crate containing an ancient urn. The crate crashes down and Maurice is chased by the large urn that is now rolling uncontrollably towards him. He is nearly crushed against a wall but manages to get away just in time.
- The urn releases an ancient ghost that terrifies Cleopatra and chases her away.
- A gang of cats chases and tries to capture a ghost. The ghost slams himself into Vincent, possessing him. There is a bit of a struggle as Vincent and the ghost inhabit the same body before the ghost flies away, dragging what looks like half of Vincent with him.
- The ghost drops Vincent and he falls over a river.
- When a painting is ruined, the gang of cats turn on each other and then turn on Vincent.
- Maurice is almost hit by a police car. He clings to the front of a car until he flies off and lands on another.
- A cat threatens to attack Maurice.
- A ghost possesses a cat, knocking him into things before nearly crushing Maurice and knocking paint pots onto the cat’s head.
Sexual references
Cats in the Museum has some sexual references. For example:
- A character notes that Cleopatra and Vincent are a ‘romantic couple’ and he indicates that they should be left alone.
- Cleopatra purrs alluringly from behind a curtain as she calls for Vincent to join her. They are briefly shown curled up beside each other sleeping.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
There’s no substance use in Cats in the Museum.
Nudity and sexual activity
Cats in the Museum has some nudity and sexual activity. For example:
- Cleopatra seductively struts towards Vincent. They are clearly attracted to each other and are later shown to have kittens together.
- There are paintings in the museum that show naked women with only a tiny bit of cloth covering their genitalia. Men are also depicted in paintings and statues, largely unclad. The paintings appear momentarily on screen or in the background.
- A random couple kisses on the street.
Product placement
There’s no product placement in Cats in the Museum.
Coarse language
There’s no coarse language in Cats in the Museum but the movie does have some crude humour – for example, when Vincent is possessed by a ghost that appears to be coming out of his buttocks.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Cats in the Museum is an animated adventure with dialogue and a plot that adults and older children might struggle to sit through but that younger children are likely to enjoy.
The main message from Cats in the Museum is that you shouldn’t have to risk your integrity or deny who you truly are to find your place, your family and where you belong.
Values in Cats in the Museum that you could reinforce with your children are honesty, responsibility, determination, courage and optimism.
Cats in the Museum could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the importance of believing in yourself and knowing your own value. You could also discuss unhelpful stereotypes, like females being helpless or needing to be saved, or needing to be with a male to feel valued.