By Glenn Kay
For the Sun
Rating: «««
out of ««««
Running Time: 79 minutes
This motion picture is currently streaming exclusively on Netflix.
For decades, this reviewer has been a fan of Aardman Animations productions. Since the Oscar-winning 1989 Nick Park stop-motion short Creature Comforts, the company has continued to produce top-notch projects. Around that time, Aardman also debuted their most iconic characters with the eccentric inventor Wallace and his reliable (and much sharper) pooch, Gromit. Several Academy Award-winning shorts featuring the pair have followed, as well as a feature film and popular spin-off series about a curious sheep. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl sees Park and co-director Merlin Crossingham return to their roots and tell another grand tale with the pair that will impress viewers of all ages.
This effort ties directly to the 1993 short The Wrong Trousers, which featured Wallace (Ben Whitehead) and Gromit foiling the plot of thief and penguin Feathers McGraw, who is attempting to steal the Blue Diamond from the city museum. Years later, Wallace continues to experiment with new projects. His latest creation is Norbot, a gnome who can tackle household chores and gardening. The robot is nothing but a pain to Gromit, and things get worse when McGraw plots an elaborate escape from his cell at the local zoo. The criminal decides to use Norbot to help him reclaim the diamond and frame Wallace and Gromit. Chief Inspector Albert Mackintosh (Peter Kay) falls for the plot immediately, but new officer Mukherjee (Lauren Patel) begins to see that there might be more going on.
Yes, the plot is simple, but that helps the film move swiftly and there is always something going on with the memorable characters and in the backgrounds. As expected, the leads are adorable and fun to watch. The silent, sinister Feathers McGraw has always been the series’ most charismatic villain and this proves to be the case once again. Some of the new disguises the antagonist wears are hilarious.
Heroic pet dog Gromit is always the underappreciated hero in these stories, and once again he is forced to endure some annoyances (including a sleepless night as Norbot charges itself in the most bizarre manner possible) before rising to the challenge… and perhaps finally getting some appreciation for it.
I’ll be honest and state that puns aren’t my favorite source of humor, yet those in this picture garner laughs. I’m not entirely certain if they are clever puns or that they just wore me down, but the endless supply ended up putting a big smile on my face. It’s hard not to chuckle when pushy television reporter Onya Doorstep (Diane Morgan) announces herself on location while grilling Wallace.
The film also includes a ton of film references for movie fans, including nods to Cape Fear, The Matrix and others. There is even a hilarious wink to James Bond baddie Ernst Blofeld. There are so many of these clever bits present in the film that it takes several viewings to catch them all.
Aardman titles always include top-of-the-line animation, and this effort is no exception. The sets, including Wallace and Gromit’s abode are filled with incredible detail. The same goes for the zoo location and city streets, not to mention the scenic country backgrounds and waterway system utilized during the climax. All previous shorts and the feature film deliver elaborate chases, and this effort continues the trend with a genuinely thrilling boat chase that might top them all. It includes all the characters becoming trapped on an exaggeratedly tall bridge.
As for age appropriateness, I have a three-year-old who adored the picture. She caught sight of a screener provided to me, wouldn’t budge and has since demanded repeat viewings. While rewatching family films can be a tiring exercise, it allowed this reviewer to read all of the signage in the background and notice more hidden gags. It’s even better after a few viewings and is a blast for all ages.
All of the titles featuring this pair are wonderful, and “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” is no different. This one is enjoyable from the start and even improves the second and third time around. It will leave viewers hungry for more and stands as one of, if not the best, animated efforts of the year.
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