Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is streaming on Netflix at the time of writing. Rated PG. Common Sense says 7+.
Top dog Gromit springs into action to save his master when Wallace's high-tech invention goes rogue and he's framed for a series of suspicious crimes.
STORY: B+
A fast paced, pun-filled plot that never fails to delight.
Every scene is masterfully constructed. Every scene is essential. The film stuffs a good two hours worth of plot points, twists, and puns inside a lean, tight 79 minutes. That density gives the story a delightful, delicious energy.
PEOPLE: A-
As usual, this iconic, ironic duo doesn’t disappoint.
The situational irony of making the inventor an idiot and the dog an uber-intelligent jack of all trades is what makes Wallace and Gromit an unforgettable team. Yet even they find themselves upstaged by Feathers McGraw, the criminal mastermind who’s cooler than a cucumber in an Antarctic icebox.
FILM NERD STUFF: A-
The filmmakers use every cinematic element to bring McGraw to life.
Feathers McGraw is a penguin of few - actually, no - words. He refuses any and all emotions entry to his even-keeled performances. Yet he’s arguably the most well drawn character due to the way he’s lit, the way he’s framed, and the music that accompanies him wherever he goes.
Future filmmakers, take note: every moment he’s on screen is a masterclass in cinematic vocabulary.
ONE BIG LESSON: B-
Technology can never replace the power of human (and canine) connection.
Pet your own dog, doggone it.
FINAL COMMENTS:
The Aardman cinematic universe’s millions of fans will understandably have high expectations for this film. Years of churning out Wallace & Gromit films, Shaun the Sheep movies, and Chicken Runs have established a very high bar. Vengeance Most Fowl may not be upper-echelon Aardman, but it more than lives up to the studio’s tradition of animated genius. It’s a warm, wonderful film that the whole family will adore.