Patrick Timsit as Quasimodo
We have seen a lot of different characterizations of Quasimodo. Every adaptations changes him to suits their unique needs for their version of the story. He has been morose, sad, naive, a bookworm, a Disney princess and even an emo but Quasimodo d’El gives us a very new take on Quasimodo, unapologetically childish.
Patrick Timsit as Quasimodo & Richard Berry as Frollo
Quasimodo in this version gets a more fleshed out back story. Like the case of the abysmal Enchanted Tales, which will forever haunt me, he is NOT born deformed. Instead he was born to rich mean people and Clopin cursed him on the day of his baptism. Basically his deformities are rooted in his awful parents dropping him face side down and throwing him agiast a wall. Then they abandon him and switch him with for pretty Esmeralda. Quasimodo is then brought to the cathedral where he is reared by Frollo.
Patrick Timsit as Quasimodo & Richard Berry as Frollo
The plot of this movie really needs Quasimodo to be childlike and innocent as this makes people care for him on a subconscious level and so he himself is not aware that the “play’ he does with Frollo is actually murder. It’s actually rather clever.
Patrick Timsit as Quasimodo & Melanie Thierry as Esmeralda
However there is a massive trade off. In book, the cathedral was everything to Quasimodo, it was his world till Esmeralda but this version the cathedral is more like a jungle-gym, a plaything. He just has fun playing around it. Also there is no depth to this Quasimodo but to the movie’s credits it knows this fact. The film calls him out for just thinking Esmeralda is pretty and doesn’t know her much like the way he is treated but in reverse.
Patrick Timsit as Quasimodo & Richard Berry as Frollo
So is this version of Quasimodo a bad one? Yes and No. I think for the movie’s plot and concept he works but as a Quasimodo there is no depth or development. He is just very, very childish.