Released in 2006, often flies under the radar in discussions of the best animated films of the 2000s. Perhaps it was the unusual premise (a rat flushed down a toilet) or the stylistic clash between CGI and the classic claymation of Aardman Animations. But two decades later, this film deserves a serious re-evaluation. It is not just a kids' movie; it is a masterclass in British satire, spaghetti western tropes, and surprisingly adult humor, wrapped in a splashy adventure.
The Toad is not merely a villain; he is a spurned former pet. Having once been the beloved companion of Prince Charles, The Toad was replaced by a rat and unceremoniously flushed. This backstory provides a surprisingly poignant motivation for his hatred of rats, turning him into a tragic figure of Shakespearean proportions (a fact he is well aware of). McKellen leans into the absurdity, delivering lines like, "I was a star! I was a prince!" with the gravitas of Richard III , only to be undermined by his own fly-eating instincts. Flushed Away
No discussion of is complete without bowing down to The Toad. Voiced by the legendary Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf, Magneto), The Toad is a Shakespearian villain trapped in a children’s movie. He speaks in iambic pentameter. He quotes Hamlet. He sipped a tiny thimble of espresso while monologuing about the "indignity" of being flushed. Released in 2006, often flies under the radar
