The 20 Best Movies About Rats, Ranked By Fans

How This Fan Ranking Works

“Ranked by fans” means the order reflects what audiences consistently vote up, rewatch, quote, meme, recommend, and defend in comment sections with the
intensity of someone arguing that a rat absolutely could learn French cuisine (and honestly… the movie makes a strong case).

To make the list useful for real humans planning real movie nights, each entry also includes quick context: what kind of rat energy you’re getting
(wholesome? horrifying? “why is that rat wearing a tiny outfit and why am I emotional?”), plus a specific reason it tends to stick with viewers.

The 20 Best Movies About Rats, Ranked By Fans

20. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

    Splinter isn’t just “a rat.” He’s a full-on rat dad, mentor, and martial-arts philosopher who raises four green teenagers with more weapons than
    emotional coping skills. Fans love this one because it plays the origin story with sincerity: the sewer grit feels real, the stakes feel personal,
    and Splinter’s calm wisdom anchors the chaos.

    Rat factor: Wise sensei rat with maximum fatherly disappointment.

21. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

    If your definition of a “rat movie” includes “a rat who causes years of emotional damage,” this one absolutely qualifies. Scabbers the pet rat is
    central to one of the series’ biggest revelations, turning a background critter into a plot grenade. Fans rank it highly because the film’s darker
    tone makes the twist land harderand the rat is part of why.

    Best for: Viewers who enjoy their rodents with a side of betrayal.

22. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

    A modern reboot that leans into the “teenage” part and gives Splinter a surprisingly heartfelt arc as an overprotective, anxious parent. Fans tend to
    connect with how the movie treats him like more than an exposition machine: he’s funny, flawed, and genuinely trying. Also: it’s hard not to root for
    an adult rat who’s doing his best in a world that hates sewer things.

    Rat factor: Protective dad rat with “don’t talk to strangers” energy.

23. The Nut Job (2014)

    A heist comedy where city critters plan an absurdly ambitious robberyfeaturing a rat sidekick who’s basically the friend who shows up for your scheme,
    even when the scheme is “break into a nut shop that’s definitely a front for something.” Fans keep it in rotation because it’s easy, fast, and
    unapologetically cartoony, with rats in the mix as lovable mischief fuel.

    Best for: Family movie nights that don’t require emotional homework.

24. The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue (1998)

    The follow-up shifts focus to Timmy Brisby’s “prove myself” journey, pulling him back into conflict involving the same shadowy science vibes. Fans who
    grew up with it often rank it for nostalgia: it’s not the original’s gothic masterpiece energy, but it extends the worldand keeps the NIMH idea of
    enhanced rodents alive.

    Rat factor: Legacy rats and lab-born intrigue, sequel edition.

25. Chicken Run (2000)

    Two rats run the black-market economy of the farm with the confidence of guys who “know a guy.” They’re not the heroes, but they’re crucial to the
    escape plan and inject that perfect underworld humor: everything is negotiable, everything costs extra, and the rats are always one step away from
    selling you a “genuine” key that definitely isn’t a spoon.

    Best for: Fans of clever animation and scrappy, lovable schemers.

26. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

    Wes Anderson’s stop-motion world includes a rat who works security for the human farmersessentially a bouncer with teeth and a deep hatred of fun.
    Fans love how the film turns “rat” into a social class signal: the rat isn’t a joke; he’s a serious threat with authority. It’s one of the coolest
    “rat as antagonist” portrayals in modern animation.

    Rat factor: Corporate rat with a tie… spiritually, at least.

27. Ben (1972)

    The sequel to Willard takes the concept and makes it weirder: a lonely kid befriends Ben, the leader of a rat swarm, while the city panics.
    Fans rank it because it’s both strangely sweet and deeply unsettlinglike a coming-of-age story where your best friend is also an army commander with
    whiskers. Also, the movie’s theme song became famously associated with it.

    Best for: Retro horror fans who like their scares with melodrama.

28. The Tale of Despereaux (2008)

    It’s a mouse-led fairy tale, but a major emotional engine is Roscuro: a rat whose choices ripple through the kingdom. Fans who defend this movie tend
    to point to the rat storylinethe longing, the regret, the hunger for lightas the part that gives the film texture beyond cute-adventure beats.

    Rat factor: Tragic rat with “I can change” monologue potential.

29. Charlotte’s Web (1973)

    Templeton is the classic “greedy rat with unexpected usefulness”a freeloading foodie who can be bribed with snacks, yet ends up helping when it
    matters. Fans keep ranking this because Templeton is comedic relief with a real personality: selfish, sharp, and somehow still part of the family.

    Best for: Anyone who believes every friend group needs one chaotic scavenger.

30. Deadly Eyes (1982)

    A creature-feature where city rats become nightmare fuel (yes, big, aggressive, and extremely uninvited). Fans who like B-movie horror rank it for the
    sheer “what am I watching?” factor. It’s grimy, over-the-top, and committed to the premise: the rats are the problem, and the problem has teeth.

    Rat factor: Maximum menace, minimum chill.

31. Willard (2003)

    The remake leans into psychological isolation: a socially awkward man finds companionship and power through his rats, and the bond becomes disturbingly
    intimate. Fans rank it because it’s eerie in a slow-burn wayless “jump scare,” more “I don’t like how much the rats understand him.” It’s a
    character study with whiskers.

    Best for: Horror viewers who prefer dread over gore.

32. The Suicide Squad (2021)

    This movie did something no focus group would predict: it made people cheer for a swarm of rats. Through Ratcatcher 2, rats become symbols of
    survival, belonging, and the power of being underestimated. Fans rank it because the rodents aren’t a gimmickthey’re emotionally woven into the story,
    and the payoff is both ridiculous and weirdly moving.

    Rat factor: Hero rats. Yes, really.

33. Flushed Away (2006)

    A pampered pet rat gets dumped into a bustling sewer society where every rat has a hustle, a backstory, and probably a tiny hat. Fans love this one
    because it treats “rat world” like a full city: funny, fast, and packed with visual gags. It’s one of the most purely entertaining “rats as a
    community” movies.

    Best for: Adventure-comedy lovers who want jokes and chase scenes.

34. The Secret of NIMH (1982)

    The rats of NIMH aren’t comic reliefthey’re intelligent, organized, and haunted by the ethics of what was done to them. Fans rank it because it’s
    beautiful and intense, with a darker tone than many animated films of its era. The rats function like a secret society: wise leaders, internal
    conflict, and a genuine sense of danger.

    Rat factor: Brainy rats with a whole civilization (and serious baggage).

35. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

    A Sherlock-style mouse mystery with an iconic rat villain: Professor Ratigan. Fans rank it because Ratigan is the kind of antagonist who commits to
    the bitdramatic, musical, terrifying, and offended by the mere suggestion that he resembles a rat (which, buddy…). It’s one of Disney’s most
    memorable “rat as mastermind” performances.

    Best for: Viewers who like their villains charismatic and slightly unhinged.

36. Ratatouille (2007)

    The film that convinced the world a rat could be your favorite chef. Remy isn’t just cute; he’s ambitious, sensitive, and genuinely talentedmaking
    his rat-ness the obstacle, not the punchline. Fans rank it because it’s warm, funny, and surprisingly inspiring: you don’t have to “belong” to create
    something great (even if you have to wash your paws first).

    Rat factor: Peak wholesome rat. Michelin-star vibes.

37. Rat (2000)

    A dark comedy where a man wakes up transformed into a ratforcing his family to reconsider what they actually liked about him in the first place.
    Fans rank it because it flips the usual “rats are gross” framing into something oddly philosophical: stripped of ego and status, the rat version might
    be the better roommate.

    Best for: Fans of offbeat, slightly uncomfortable humor.

38. An American Tail (1986)

    Yes, it’s centered on micebut it keeps landing on rat-movie lists because it captures the broader rodent survival story: migration, fear, grit, and
    finding community in a hostile world. Fans rank it for the emotional punch and the way the tiny characters carry huge stakes. It’s a classic for
    anyone who likes “small creature, big journey.”

    Rat-adjacent note: A rodent epic that earns its spot by sheer fandom.

39. Willard (1971)

    The original remains the fan favorite for a reason: it’s a creepy, compelling story about loneliness curdling into vengeancewith rats as both
    comfort and weapon. Fans rank it #1 because it nails the unsettling duality: rats can be loyal companions, and they can also become an extension of
    someone’s darkest impulses. You’ll finish it and immediately double-check your basement.

    Rat factor: The blueprint for modern “rat horror” storytelling.

Why Rats Make Great Movie Stars

Rats work on screen because they’re loaded with symbolism, and filmmakers can dial that meaning up or down depending on genre. In horror, rats are the
“uncontrolled swarm”nature (or the city) fighting back. In family films, they’re the misunderstood outsider: clever, resourceful, underestimated. In
fantasy, they’re secret-keepers and scavenger-philosophers. In animation, they’re basically tiny humans with better agility and worse public relations.

The best movies with rats use that flexibility. A rat can be a mentor (Splinter), a villain (Ratigan), a hero (Remy), a weapon (the
Willard/Ben films), or an emotional twist (Scabbers). And because rats are small, the camera can make everything feel bigger: a chase is more intense, a
kitchen is a jungle, a basement is a nightmare kingdom.

Conclusion: of Fan Experiences With Rat Movies

Watching rat movies is a strangely specific kind of fun, because the experience often starts with a dare. Someone suggests a “movie about rats,” and
everyone reacts like you just offered to serve soup in a thimble you found on the sidewalk. Then the movie begins, and within ten minutes you’re either
(1) emotionally invested in a small creature’s dreams, or (2) bargaining with yourself about whether you can sleep with the closet door open “just in
case.” The emotional swing is part of the appeal.

Fans of rat movies tend to fall into a few camps. The comfort-watch crowd gravitates toward stories where rats are clever underdogsRemy cooking
his heart out, the sewer society in Flushed Away, or Splinter parenting four disaster sons with love and discipline. The joy here is the
transformation of reputation: you start the film with “rats are gross,” and end it with “I would follow that rat into battle” (or at least into a
restaurant kitchen where the health inspector is distracted).

Then you’ve got the “bring on the chaos” crowdpeople who watch Willard, Ben, or Deadly Eyes the way others watch haunted-house
movies. The shared fan experience is a mix of suspense and awe: rats in movies don’t just show up, they arrive like a weather event. A single squeak is a
warning. A shadow is a promise. And when the swarm finally appears, it’s strangely cinematiclike the film is saying, “You thought you were in control of
your environment? That’s adorable.”

There’s also a special kind of nostalgia attached to rat and rodent movies. People remember where they were when a childhood film introduced them to a
character like Templeton: the rat who’s obviously selfish but still part of the team. Or when a story like The Secret of NIMH made them realize
animation could be moody, intense, and emotionally complicated. These aren’t just “animal movies”; they’re often first encounters with bigger themes:
survival, experimentation, power, belonging, and the ethics of how we treat creatures we label as pests.

And finally, the fan experience is social. Rat movies are weirdly easy to talk about because everyone has an opinion: “That rat is adorable,” “That rat is
a war criminal,” “That rat is my therapist,” “That rat ruined my trust issues.” They’re perfect for group viewing because the reactions are immediate and
honestlaughter, disgust, sympathy, shock. Few movie topics produce such consistent, unfiltered commentary. Rats are small, but the conversation they
trigger is huge.

So if you’re building a watchlist of the best movies about rats, lean into the variety. Mix comfort with creepiness. Pair a wholesome
rat chef with a classic rat thriller. And if someone complains, remind them: these films aren’t just about rats. They’re about ambition, fear, loyalty,
survivaland occasionally, the fact that a tiny creature can steal the whole show while humans stand around being loudly confused.