Wallace and Gromit are back on the BBC this Christmas for their first feature film in 20 years as they embark on a brand new adventure. Gromit grows concerned over Wallace’s new creation, a smart gnome that is hacked by Feathers McGraw to wreak havoc on the pair in Wallace & Gromit Vengeance Most Fowl.
It’s up to Gromit to put aside his qualms and battle sinister forces, or Wallace may never be able to invent again!
The film works as a sequel to the Academy Award-winning short The Wrong Trousers and sees Feathers McGraw make a grand return as the dead-eyed penguin locked up in the previous movie after a failed diamond heist plots his revenge.
What starts as a handy and helpful gnome created by Wallace slowly turns sinister after Feathers McGraw hacks into the robot’s programming and changes him from good to evil at the flick of a switch.
Debuting on BBC Christmas Day the film is set for a Netflix release on January 3rd.
The wonders of stop-motion animation never cease to amaze me and knowing these creations are just plasticine meticulously repositioned and moved to create something so raw and truly incredible is mind-blowing.
I feel that no matter the film there’s always a severe underappreciation for all the hard work that goes into making these movies behind the scenes and this old-fashioned way of animation is certainly setting the precedent for the storyline in this particular movie.
We have brand new modern technology that Wallace has created, being hosted by stop-motion animation creatures and what we learn throughout this entire movie is that maybe the old ways are better and more reliable.
We have CGI in movies nowadays that looks horrendous compared to the practical effects of days gone by and even earlier CGI movies where things looked real and not computer generated. Sometimes it’s just easier to stick to the old ways and whilst I understand the evolution of animation in this case you can’t help but marvel at Aardman Animations and how they preserve such a classic and beautiful way of storytelling and filmmaking.
The voice cast of Vengeance Most Fowl is stacked as Ben Whitehead voices Wallace (paying a tribute to the late Peter Sallis) with Peter Kay voicing a Police Inspector along with Lauren Patel who voices a junior officer but whilst we appreciate the artistry there’s just something missing slightly with this particular feature.
What I found strange about Vengeance Most Fowl was how much I enjoyed the quirkyness of the film but I rarely cracked a beaming smile at any given moment. There just weren’t any real laugh-out-loud moments outside of the opening 5-10 minutes as the film sort of stagnates as it goes along which I thought was a real shame but the ending certainly redeems the rather sluggish middle of this 79-minute feature.
Surviving off quintessential British nostalgia alone gets you so far but for me, this particular film just felt a little flat in the story department but impressed in every other area.
You can’t help but admire the production of the Wallace and Gromit movies but there was just something about this particular instalment that ran a bit ‘fowl’ at points.
It certainly was lovely to sit with the family at Christmas and watch the first Wallace and Gromit film in 20 years on the big screen this holiday season if albeit lacking a little bit of that magic that it had all those years ago.
I wonder if the Wallace and Gromit ride at Pleasure Beach Resort in Blackpool will get a cheeky upgrade after the release of this film. Some food for thought!
We did a cheeky behind-the-scenes tour of this iconic ride which you can watch on our sister theme park/attractions page Lift Hills and Thrills, CLICK HERE to check it out!
Happy Christmas to you all!
Our Rating
Summary
A wonderful production with amazing attention to detail and work behind the scenes that turns these claymations to life in such an incredible and artistic way. Vengeance Most Fowl is certainly welcomed Holiday entertainment but sadly a questionable narrative and a strange flow directs the film off course at numerous points.
Whilst lacking in the usual flair and finesse of a Wallace and Gromit film, the holiday season has certainly helped me to enjoy this film more than I probably would have on any other day.
