Definitely One for the Birds!

Rating: Null/10 (25 April 2003)

"Chicken Run" tells the story about a group of chickens who desperately want to escape captivity at Mrs. Tweedy's Chicken Farm, in England. Mrs. Tweedy (voice by Miranda Richardson) is not a nice old lady chicken farmer. She takes her business very seriously. When a hen does not lay an egg daily, she is condemned to the chopping block. It is a matter of life and death for the hens to escape. Unfortunately for them, they run through one failed escape attempt after another. One of the more out going hens, Ginger (voice by Julia Sawalha), has tried many attempts to escape. She has tried tunnels, catapults and disguises only to be chucked into the coal hole for a week as her punishment. Mr. Tweedy (voice by Tony Haygarth) is positive that the chickens are scheming and planning, but can not seem to convince his wife. Tired of making miniscule profits, Mrs. Tweedy decides to phase out the egg operation in exchange for a chicken pot pie operation. Fortunately for the chickens, Rocky the Flying Rooster (voice by Mel Gibson), an American Rhode Island Red Rooster, literally drops in on the farm - just in time to save the chickens from becoming pot pies. Rocky is on the run from the circus. In the end, the birds are able to escape from Mrs. Tweedy's to a nearby bird sanctuary.
Peter Lord and Nick Park directed "Chicken Run". The intention for this movie was not just to entertain, but also to demonstrate that with hard work and determination almost anything can be accomplished (no matter what species). It also displays charm. Even though the chickens kept failing, it kept the audience hopeful for the characters, wanting them to continue on and be successful.
"Chicken Run" is the first feature length work done by Lord and Park in Claymation. I loved the meticulous details they had used. For instance, the way the mud on the ground was after it had rained to the gray in Mrs. Tweedy's hair made it look real. Even the sound effects made it seem life like. The way Mrs. Tweedy walked in her rubber boots and the way the doors slammed shut on the hen houses. This is a very delightful and brilliantly made movie.