Parents' Guide to

The Amazing Maurice

By Kat Halstead, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Fun Pratchett adaptation has mature themes, scary scenes.

Movie PG 2023 93 minutes
The Amazing Maurice movie poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • The Amazing Maurice: Maurice the cat sits on a kitchen worktop as Keith shrugs theatrically next to him.
  • The Amazing Maurice: Close-up of Maurice the cat's face, looking grumpy.
  • The Amazing Maurice: Maurice the cats sits between Malicia and Keith as they talk in a kitchen.

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age 9+

Based on 9 parent reviews

APR1125
APR1125 Parent of 4, 7 and 9-year-old
February 3, 2023
age 7+

Hard to follow

This movie was strange and disjointed and had some weird religious and cult themes. Overall it was just not good or entertaining.
Bel L.
Bel L. Adult
January 17, 2023
age 8+

As a Terry Pratchet fan, I really enjoyed this, as did my 10yo. Unfortunately the ads made it seem more light-hearted than it is and my 7yo was quite scared of The Rat King; he's large, threatening, has glowing eyes, and harms those who don't bend to his will. My daughter cried herself to sleep, poor love. I think if she was a year older, she would have been fine. While I regret taking her and distressing her, it remains a good and quirky film.
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE AMAZING MAURICE is a streetwise cat (voiced by Hugh Laurie) who with a gang of talking rats and his friend Keith (Himesh Patel) stage fake exterminations and trick local towns out of their money. But when they reach a place where the rats have all disappeared, along with all the town's food, they must team up with the mayor's daughter, Malicia (Emilia Clarke), to solve the mystery and save the day.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9 ):
Kids say (2 ):

While page-to-screen adaptations of Terry Pratchett's work have been mixed at best, this fun-packed animation captures the magic that appeals on multiple levels to kids and adults alike. The Amazing Maurice offers a touch of social commentary along with warm, funny characters and rollicking adventure. The film has fun with the book's familiar element of breaking the fourth wall, incorporating the narrator into the story. It's a knowing wink for adults and older kids, and a fun way for younger viewers to learn about techniques like framing devices and foreshadowing, making everyone feel in on the joke.

The list of A-List talent behind the animated characters is noteworthy, with Laurie ideally cast as the sarcastic, streetwise Maurice, Clarke as plucky young heroine Malicia, and Patel as the sensitive Keith, coming into his own through the demands of adventure. Elsewhere Gemma Arterton, David Thewlis, Rob Brydon, David Tennant, and Hugh Bonneville add to an impressive talent pool that really brings the characters to life. The story is well-paced and there are plenty of hair-raising moments. But rats being thrown into a pit to be torn apart by dogs while spectators bet on the results is a little dark for younger children. That said, Pratchett never shied away from holding a mirror up to the sides of society we'd rather look away from, and that's part of the appeal and what makes him stand out in a sea of more generic fantasy fare.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the moments of peril in The Amazing Maurice. Did you find any scenes scary? Did you feel scared after the movie had finished? How much scary stuff can kids handle?

  • Discuss the themes of friendship and teamwork in the film. How were they shown to be important? Can you think of a time when you were there for a friend in need or when you worked with others to achieve a goal?

  • The film suggests Maurice thought differently about rats when he was given the intelligence to understand more. Have you ever changed your mind about an issue, person, or group of people, based on learning more about them?

  • How did the film bring attention to storytelling devices and plot elements through Malicia's narration and obsession with reading books? What did you learn about the kinds of things usually present in adventure stories and fairytales, and have you noticed any of them in other films?

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