Flushed Away

Flushed Away

Plot

Flushed Away, a 2006 stop-motion animated comedy film, begins with Roddy St. James, a refined and snobbish mouse living in a posh Highgate home in London. Roddy revels in the luxurious lifestyle his wealthy family affords him, complete with fine dining, designer clothes, and access to the finest amenities. However, this life of leisure is disrupted when a peculiar event occurs - Roddy's pet, a common sewer rat named Sid, flushes him down the toilet by accident. As Roddy tumbles through the sewer pipeline, he experiences a disorienting and unnerving journey, encountering numerous obstacles, such as debris, sharp turns, and dizzying drops. When he finally arrives in the Ratropolis sewer system, Roddy finds himself in a bewildering environment unlike anything he has ever seen before. The sheer chaos and disarray of the sewers, coupled with the filth and stench that permeates the air, serve as a stark contrast to Roddy's accustomed elegant surroundings. While Roddy navigates this unfamiliar territory, he crosses paths with Rita, a street-smart and resourceful rodent who has spent her entire life in the sewers. Rita's sharp instincts and ability to think on her feet allow her to overcome the numerous perils of her environment. As fate would have it, Roddy stumbles upon Rita as she frantically attempts to evade a trap set by the ruthless and cunning Toad, a malevolent rodent who detests his mammalian counterparts and seeks to eliminate them from Ratropolis. Upon discovering Roddy, Rita initially views him with suspicion, but eventually warms up to him after recognizing the desperation and fear that drives him. As they develop an unlikely friendship, Rita agrees to assist Roddy in his attempt to return home, despite the perils that lie ahead. Together, they concoct a plan that involves sabotaging Toad's operations and finding a way out of the sewer system. Meanwhile, Toad, a dim-witted yet malicious rodent, grows increasingly frustrated with his inability to catch a break. He enlists the help of his two loyal but inept hench-rats, Spike and Whitey, to deal with the threat posed by Roddy and Rita. Throughout their encounters, Toad's ineptitude and the bumbling incompetence of his sidekicks provide much-needed comic relief, providing a steady stream of humor that tempers the danger and intensity of the situation. As Roddy and Rita embark on their perilous journey through the Ratropolis sewer, they meet various eccentric characters, including a cockney-accented pigeon and a network of underground creatures who possess a deep understanding of the sewer system's intricate workings. With their combined knowledge and cunning, Roddy and Rita devise a series of complicated traps to evade Toad and his cohorts, all while navigating the labyrinthine tunnels and dodging death. However, as Roddy becomes increasingly immersed in Rita's world, he begins to question his priorities and confronts the reality that he may never truly fit in with the Highgate set. Rita, on the other hand, is often confronted with the possibility that her world is full of hidden treasures and secrets waiting to be explored. Their varying aspirations and values provide much of the thematic depth of the film, adding an element of introspection to the tale's narrative. In a climactic and increasingly absurd sequence of events, Toad attempts to make a bold armed assault on Rita and Roddy, enlisting the help of several giant sewer-dwelling creatures and other deadly threats to overpower the pair. However, Roddy's cunning, coupled with Rita's unorthodox skills and quick thinking, ultimately leads to Toad's downfall and the pursuit of Roddy and Rita ceases. With their adversaries defeated, Roddy and Rita devise a daring plan to make a break for the surface and return Roddy to his natural habitat. However, the journey doesn't go according to plan, as Roddy soon finds himself having unexpectedly high jinks navigating the dangers of a sewer turbine and having misadventures with rats attempting to cannibalize, providing one final thrilling set-piece to the film. As the story unfolds, Roddy comes to understand that while the comfortable world of Highgate may have its appeal, it does not conform to his growing sense of self and curiosity that the resourceful and unconventional Rita embodies. Upon deciding to join his new friend on her wild escapades, the possibility opens up for Rita and Roddy to grow and thrive as an unlikely yet formidable team in the perilous yet rich biosphere beneath the bustling streets of London.

Flushed Away screenshot 1
Flushed Away screenshot 2
Flushed Away screenshot 3

Reviews

V

Victoria

I absolutely love the song "Lonely" in this movie!

Reply
6/18/2025, 12:24:14 AM
M

Madeline

As a rat myself, I found this movie absolutely essential viewing!

Reply
6/17/2025, 7:01:27 AM
H

Hannah

Mice in animated films are typically quite endearing.

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6/16/2025, 9:04:01 AM
Z

Zoey

Very British, very fun.

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6/12/2025, 9:20:12 AM
K

Kai

"Flushed Away" is a rather average DreamWorks film. The plot largely follows the well-worn path of the little hero archetype, with a slight hint of a rodent 007 vibe. However, given the predictability of the storyline, one would expect the characters to shine a bit more, but they don't quite manage to do so. What's more, there's a strong sense of familiarity about their designs – they share the same expressions as the characters from "Wallace and Gromit," which can become a bit tedious after a while. It goes to show that relying too heavily on familiar character tropes isn't always a recipe for success.

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6/11/2025, 4:05:02 AM