A delight

Rating: 9/10 (14 August 2009)

While this is not the best product Aardman Pictures has ever made, even a film that comes very close to the fun and creativity of the Wallace & Gromit films is a delight.
The film stars all new characters and is quite a departure for the animators, as this is a full-length film, not a short. But, you'd never know that these film makers hadn't made such a picture before, as the product is exceptional from start to finish.
It all takes place on a bizarre chicken farm. That's because the sets and action in the film more approximates the film THE GREAT ESCAPE than anything else--and this is deliberate. On this odd chicken farm, there are some determined chickens--determined to escape because some of them realize what their fate will be if they stay. All doubts about this are removed when Mr. & Mrs. Tweety invest in a horrid chicken pie producing machine. You just drop in a chicken, and out drops pies!! Unfortunately, the chickens have no idea how to escape. Aside from a slightly loony old male chicken who acts like a WWII vet, the rest of the chickens are all layers and have no idea what the real world outside is like. Then, out of the blue, a performing chicken (more precisely, one who is shot out of a cannon) arrives in the farm and the ladies all know that he will lead them to safety. If only they knew that he hasn't the foggiest idea how to help.
The film features the usual plastic figures that are pose-able, along with very detailed and realistic miniature sets. It's actually quite amazing how far these characters are from the original clay Wallace & Gromit figures. They don't look quite as crude and they seem to have tons of personality--so much so that you soon forget that you are rooting on a whole bunch of dolls! The effect is further enhanced by excellent writing throughout--with a healthy dose of humor for the parents.
Overall, a wonderful picture...though my favorite was their next feature, WALLACE & GROMIT AND THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT. Great stuff.