9 Best Characters in ‘The Garfield Movie,’ Ranked

The Garfield Movie is Sony's newest animated film, though oddly released through Sony Pictures Releasing rather than Sony Pictures Animation. Follow Garfield (Chris Pratt), a lazy and gluttonous orange tabby cat who lives with his owner, Jon (Nicholas Hoult), and his dog, Odie (Harvey Guillen). One night, Garfield finds himself embroiled in the affair of his estranged father, Vic (Samuel L. Jackson), forcing them to go on an adventure to pay off a crazy cat named Jinx (Hannah Waddingham).

The film is more of a paint-by-numbers family film, but there is some fun with the characters. For the most part, Garfield, Jon, and Odie retain the features the cartoonist gave them Jim Davisand there are a large number of new characters, each with a different and unique personality type. These additions contribute to Garfield's now-iconic legacy, and while none can match the titular character's innate charm, they do their part to make the film more entertaining and memorable.

8 Jon Arbuckle

Voiced by Nicholas Hoult

One night, cartoonist Jon Arbuckle meets Garfield as a kitten while eating at an Italian restaurant. After feeding him, she takes Garfield home and does everything she can to make sure he's well taken care of. When Garfield and Odie go missing, Jon goes into a state of panic and tries everything he can to locate his beloved pets.

Jon doesn't have much to do in the film, so he feels like a silly human reacting to the actions of his much more interesting pets. Hoult does the best he can with his limited screen time and does a good job of selling Jon as a kind and empathetic individual.. The scenes with him and young Garfield during the opening of the film are easily his best moments and go a long way towards increasing The Garfield Movieglobal impact Even if Jon is likely one of Nicholas Hoult's best roles, it's still a safe enough and entertaining addition to his resume.

7 Vic

Played by Samuel L. Jackson

Garfield's biological father, Vic, did his best to take care of him when he was just a kitten. However, seeing how Jon could provide for Garfield better than he could, Vic decided to let Garfield be adopted and watched him from the shadows. He also had a lot of trouble with his gang of alley cats, committing robberies that always ended with the downfall of Vic's compatriots.

Vic is the stereotypical absent parent figure who has a lot of problems, but beneath them is a heart of gold buried. Still, aside from a moment or two where Garfield opens up about his inner turmoil, it's hard to see this heart of gold, as his actions always have negative consequences for those around him. Even so, it's hard to completely hate the character, thanks to Jackson's iconic voice and mannerisms.

6 Roland and Nolan

Voiced by Brett Goldstein and Bowen Yang

During his stay at the pound, Jinx the cat (Hannah Waddingham) meets a large Shar Pei named Roland (Brett Goldstein) and a whippet named Nolan (Bowen Yang). She gathers them to help her escape the pound, making the dogs her faithful minions. Roland and Nolan kidnap Garfield to lure Vic, and the dogs follow the cats to make sure they follow up on paying Vic's debts to Jinx.

Roland and Nolan don't have enough personality to stand out as characters, though together, they make quite an entertaining animated duo. Roland gets some fun visuals with his immense size and rolls of fur, while Nolan is hyper and has wonderful facial animations. Most importantly, Yang and Goldstein do a good job of making them feel comical and menacing, and the characters even get a moment of redemption near the end, leading to their story.

5 Marge Malone

With the voice of Cecily Strong

To ensure that Garfield and Vic fail in their mission, Jinx contacts animal control and warns them of the upcoming robbery. Although the receptionists have refused, officer Marge Malone (Cecil Strong) the warning is taken seriously. He goes to Lactose Farms and acts as the last obstacle for the father-son duo to overcome.

Marge is not there The Garfield Movie for too long, but his inclusion brightens the plot. Introducing an intense animal control officer who takes her job so seriously that she's willing to listen to a cat is pretty funny, especially when combined with the excitement that's building when the animals resist arrest . The ever-reliable and ever-funny Cecily Strong gives Marge a Wisconsin accent that further adds to the absurdity of her character.

4 Garfield

With the voice of Chris Pratt

One of the most iconic comic book characters ever created, Garfield prefers to spend his days relaxing, eating lasagna and complaining about how much he despises Mondays. Unfortunately, one of her father's former associates pulls her out of her life of luxury in search of revenge. Now, he's forced to work alongside Vic to steal an entire truckload of milk and maybe begin to see his father in a more positive light.

For the most part, this film retains the basic traits of Garfield's character while giving him new feelings of abandonment towards his estranged father. It works well enough to give him a character arc, and his interactions with Vic lead to some moments where Garfield's sharp wit can shine. However, Pratt's voice work leaves a lot to be desired, especially when compared to Bill Murray's acting in live action films. Still, there's enough here for fans of the beloved orange tabby to enjoy.

3 Jinx

Voiced by Hannah Waddingham

Originally from England, Jinx headed to America to make it big as a show cat, but instead fell on hard times. She joined up with Vic and his band of cat thieves, but was captured and sent to the pound during a milk heist. Five years later, Jinx has her dog minions capture Garfield to bring Vic into her paws so she can make him suffer.

Although he is not a very complicated villain, Jinx is one of the most entertaining original characters in the film. This is mainly due to Waddingham's performance: he does his best to chew the scenery in his limited screen time, especially when he switches between fake kindness and bewildered fury. The animators also play with her jewelry, making it change color based on her emotional state, which helps accentuate her extreme mood swings. Jinx is so entertaining that he often steals the spotlight, even when he shares the screen with the titular orange cat.

2 Otto

With the voice of Ving Rhames

One of the Lactose Farms mascots with his wife, Ethel, Otto (Come Rhames), found himself put out to pasture when new management took over the farm. He tried to reunite with Ethel several times, but Marge Malone thwarted him each time, eventually losing a horn. When Garfield goes to Otto asking for help breaking into the farm, Otto agrees if they also rescue Ethel.

Otto is the best original character in the film, thanks to his distinct personality. Compared to the others, he's comically serious, speaking in dramatic pauses and treating every conversation like it's the most important thing in the world. Ving Rhames' booming voice is perfect for the role, with the beloved actor bringing a much-welcomed stoicism and maturity to The Garfield MovieOtherwise it's juvenile humor. Despite their intensity, Otto truly loves Ethel, and even though their screen time together is limited, he never misses an opportunity to profess his love for her.

1 I hate

Performed by Harvey Guillén

A yellow beagle adopted by Jon shortly after he got Garfield, Odie follows Garfield almost everywhere he goes. Although he cannot speak, he is very expressive and Garfield can understand his barks. He accompanies Garfield and Vic on their mission to pay back Jinx and proves to be very perceptive about what exactly the father-son duo needs to get the job done.

Odie is the best character The Garfield Movie, thanks in large part for your animation. Since he doesn't speak, the animators go to great lengths to make sure he can emote with his body and facial expressions, resulting in plenty of funny moments that range from direct and offbeat to soundlessly upbeat. Odie plays off Garfield wonderfully, balancing the cat's more verbal style of comedy with a physical one. Guillén does brilliantly in the role, which he confessed was a challenge as Odie is silent. After a scene-stealing he delivers Puss in Boots: The Last Wish i Harley Quinnthe actor is quickly becoming one of the most recognized names in voice acting, and The Garfield Movie it adds another feather to its already impressive cap.

NEXT: Sony Pictures' 10 Best Animated Movies, Ranked by IMDb