Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic cartoon's update isn't funny; edgier than original.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Top Cat: The Movie
What's the Story?
TOP CAT: THE MOVIE is based on Top Cat, the Hanna-Barbera prime-time animated show from the early 1960s. Like the original cartoon, the movie follows Top Cat (Jason Harris) and his band of alley cats as they try to avoid getting caught by their old nemesis, Officer Dibble (Bill Lobley), and his new, even crankier boss, Police Chief Strickland. Chief Strickland isn't happy with Dibble's success in subduing the alley cats, so he comes up with a scheme to get them once and for all. Meanwhile, Top Cat falls for a female cat, Trixie (Melissa Disney).
Is It Any Good?
There's really nothing compelling about this movie, and, if anything, Top Cat's obsession with Trixie is borderline creepy and completely unfunny. Even as a show, Top Cat was only on the air for one season, or 30 episodes; it's unclear why anyone felt the need to revive the old cartoon as a film except that younger audiences may have seen the series re-aired on Boomerang. Most kids won't get the cats-versus-cops plot, and they won't have the background knowledge to understand or care about most of the characters. Fans of the show should stick to the reruns and skip this underwhelming movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about movies based on old cartoons. Do they still work for younger audiences?
How does this movie compare to the original cartoon?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 2, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : September 3, 2013
- Director : Alberto Mar
- Studio : Viva Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Animals , Friendship
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : for some mild rude content.
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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