Chicken Run

(The Dreamworks-uary logo is shown, before showing clips from *Chicken Run*)

Doug (vo): The team that brought you *Wallace and Gromit* now bring their first full-length animated feature, *Chicken Run*. This is a movie all the critics went nuts for. "It was well-written, it was well-animated, it was different, it had a unique story." And it's another one, honestly, I think just sort of falls into the "OK" pile. But that's not bad, it's...just...okay. Why? Well, let's take a look.

## Story

Doug (vo): On a chicken farm in England, one little hen tries as hard as she can to escape every day, but is constantly caught and thrown back in. Things get more dangerous, though, when the owner of the chicken farm decides that she wants to start making pies out of the chickens. So the hens have to make it out before the machine that makes the pies is fully put together. Their answer comes in the form of a rooster, played by Mel Gibson. He claims that he flew into the pen and that he can teach the chickens how to fly as well. The only downside is, his wing is broken, so he can't teach them right away. But he spends their time trying to verbally show them how to do it, but the clock is ticking away as they get closer and closer to pie day. It's a race to see if they can get out, ala *Great Escape*-style, before the owner can turn them into mince meat.

## Review

Doug (vo): It was really great seeing this animation team finally do a full-length motion picture, and showing that they can pull it off and still have it be very entertaining. Its comedy is a little different from, say, something like *Wallace and Gromit*, which was a little bit more quiet at times. This one is constant dialogue and constant visual jokes. But in a sense, it has sort of the same feel as *Wallace and Gromit*, as it's not always trying to make you laugh every second. It'll take time just to have a character breathe and talk about however they're feeling. A lot of people say there was a ton of grown-up jokes, but really, I didn't see them until maybe near the end.

*[One of the jokes is shown]*

Fowler: Great Scott! What was that?

Mac: A cling-on, Captain! *(vo):* And the engines can't take it!

Doug (vo): I guess the only main problem I have with it is that the story is a touch too predictable. I mean, once again, we're gonna have the "liar revealed" backstory, and it's not gonna be just brushed over either, it's gonna take up a good chunk of the third act, with the characters moping and doping and...oh, Jesus, I've gone on and on about this, I'm not gonna prattle anymore, let's just say it's boring. And I don't think the jokes are quite strong enough to make up for such a lackluster part of the movie.

## Final thought

Doug (vo): But like I said before, I still think it holds up as being okay. It is still very creative, it's got some memorable characters, it does have some good lines. The stop-motion animation is always great to see, I mean, this team always does a wonderful job. It's bright, it's colorful, it's mostly upbeat. It's very imaginative at times, and it has one or two bits for adults, too. Had it not gone for the "liar revealed" story arc and maybe thought a little bit more out of the box, I would've liked it a lot more, but I still think it's a decent flick. It's got just enough for kids and just enough for adults. I think it's worth at least a viewing.

*[One of the final scenes, showing the plane finally escaping to freedom, is shown]*