A Wacky but Interesting Watch

Rating: 7/10 (15 February 2018)

Although I have never been a huge fan of Claymation movies, Chicken Run has become an exception for me. Most of the movie follows a very traditional format, starting with an exposition, when the main character attempts to escape the first time, then accompanied by rising action, including numerous more escape attempts getting closer to their goal each time, until a climax is reached when the chickens escape. Following the climax, falling action and a resolution round out the end of the movie as the farm house blows up after the woman gets stuck in the machine.
Despite its many traditional qualities, this movie is still a good watch. Many unorthodox occurrences draw in viewers attention as the scape attempts grow stranger with each attempt. Another interesting aspect to this movie was the overarching use of classical cutting. This technique took what could've been a very underwhelming film and turned it into a suspenseful family-friendly drama. Numerous instance in the movie display this concept, and in each case, suspense and tension is added to augment the viewers experience. For example, in the very beginning of the movie Ginger, the main character is escaping from the farm. While digging under the fence, in an attempt to provide an escape route for her and her fellow chickens, Mr. Tweedy discovered her. The other chickens scurry back to their pens while Ginger is stuck outside the fence. Immediately after she was spotted, the chase was on. With Mr. Tweedy and his two dogs in hot pursuit the film switches between Ginger's point of view and Mr. Tweedy's. This technique increases the suspense of what otherwise would've been a simple chasing scene. It is the uses of concepts such as this that add to film in ways to augment the viewers experience.
Another interesting facet of this movie is its inter-genre story line. Incorporating pieces from numerous genres allows for a larger audience pool. Mainly utilizing features of comedic and dramatic films, Chicken Run plot uses somewhat comedic concepts to attract the attention of consumers. The wackier the concept, the closer attention will be payed to that scene. As the escape attempts increase in their uniqueness, the tension in watching film builds as viewers eagerly await to see if the attempt succeeds for fails in some extreme manor. In almost all the cases, the attempts would some how fail and result in something comedic rather it was Ginger being placed in solitary confinement again or another chicken falling victim to the growing anger of Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy. The endless suspense adds to the quality of the more making it a very interesting film to view. This property of the may not be a result of specific filming techniques, but I believe it adds to the overall make up of the movie and why it has been successful at the box office.
Perhaps my favorite part of this movie is not any one technique used to augment viewer's experiences, but rather the idea behind the movie. Taking such a simple complex and constructing such a complex movie with many twists and turns requires a lot of talent. As the plot progresses, the wackiness of the movie seems to increase. Starting with simple escape attempt ideas slowly but surely build into a one of a kind homemade flying contraption. Not only is the main idea of the movie strange, a group of chickens wishing to escape the grasp of ruthless farm owners, but each little part of the story adds to its very unique story line. With endless creativity this Claymation has become one of my favorites.