Chicken Run: Nick Park Hatches a Classic

Rating: 8/10 (16 April 2006)

British animator Nick Park made his name with the clay-animated antics of Wallace and Gromit. In his feature film debut, "Chicken Run," he shows off his winning style. The story, which is a take on "The Great Escape," follows the escape plans of the chickens at the Tweedy Farm in England. Their ringleader is Ginger, a hen voiced by Julia Sawalha. When Rocky (Mel Gibson), an American circus rooster, comes "flying" in, the plan becomes to fly off the Tweedy Farm. The clay animation is well done in this movie, and is even more impressive without assists by computer animation. There are several great characters, including the comic rats Nick and Fetcher, and Mrs. Tweedy (Natasha Richardson), who makes the most wicked cartoon villainess since Cruella DeVil. This movie is truly up to par with Wallace and Gromit's excellence.