Wallace et Gromit: La Palme de la vengeance

A great movie, after a very long wait. These characters have the same charm and comedy brilliance as the all time greats. Gromit, although animation, has the same dead-pan timing as Stan Laurel and to achieve that in animation is brilliance.

The key to W&G is that they never stray far from their roots and this was their best long form outing so far, the plot has so many nods to movies and a level of brilliant comedic detail in the design and smaller props. Always read the book covers and look around to see these wonderful details.

I might be alone but I noticed quite a few nods to Tim Burton's 'Batman Returns' especially in a moment with a submarine and a rubber duck!

This was a great return to form after the split with DREAMWORKS and it seems that the producing team did a cracking job on keeping it real.

A note to say although Peter Sallis will always be much missed the vocal performance by Ben Whitehead is pitch perfect and a flawless interpretation.

I'd love to see the studio revisit Pirates and of course give us a few more W & G adventures in the years to come.

Wallace & Gromit are back... and so is Feathers McGraw. That's probably enough for any viewer. Many might wonder is this going to be as good as The Wrong Trousers. The answer is no, but it's not far off and really only falls short because it's a sequel. It's near impossible to capture the magic of anything as much loved as The Wrong Trousers, even though that was a sequel of sorts. The pairs house has had some upgrades. Wallace's new wake up routine is genius. Not that long suffering Gromit is impressed. He's happy with the simple life. The Pat-o-Matic for instance isn't to his taste. He'd much rather have a nice pat on the head from Wallace. Wallace's latest invention though is for Gromit, to help him in the garden. A smart gnome called Norbot, who instead of helping, ruins Gromit's garden, invading his only sanctuary. The neighbours though are impressed and this kicks off Wallaces scheme to solve their money troubles, Gnome Improvements. What about the penguin you may ask? Well he's doing time at the zoo, but upon hearing of his foe's latest invention. He finds a way to hack Norbot, change his settings to 'Evil' and have him create an army of evil gnome clones. They first terrorise the neighbourhood, besmirch Wallace's good name, help Feathers break out of the zoo and steal the blue diamond that alludes him in The Wring Trousers. The details are delightful. The animation is beautiful. The story first class and the action both gripping and wonderfully cinematic. So no it's not as jaw dropping and perfect as The Wrong Trousers, but it doesn't need to be. It's just as much fun and it's a joy to have a new adventure to enjoy over and over again.

Gromit is growing concerned that Wallace is becoming too reliant on his invention. They're proved to be correct when his master creates a smart Gnome which he names Norbort, whose factory setting are reset and it switches to evil mode. When it becomes apparent that the nefarious Penguin Feathers McGraw is behind the chaos which ensues, Gromit sets out to put a stop to his devious plan and save Wallace who finds himself in some very hot water.

The ninth animated full length feature from Aardman Animations, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl sees the long awaited return of Nick Park's beloved cartoon duo. The eccentric, homely inventor who lives with his loyal pet Canine companion Gromit. Initially having featured in four short movies that were made-for-TV. They've become something of a British institution becoming one of the most successful exports to come out of the UK. So much so that it inspired a full length movie in 2005 with The Curse of the Were Rabbit.

Directed once again by the ingenious Academy Award winning Nick Park, whose dedication to his art in bringing such an intricate, detailed piece of animation to life is peerless. The zany, quirky world that his unlikely comic duo inhabit has lost nothing of It's idiosyncratic charm. Introducing a wonderfully infectious creation with Wallace's robotic Garden Gnome Norbot (voiced by Reece Shearsmith). A zestful, speedy contraption that is the set-up for some sublime sight-gags. He proves to be a force of nature performing gardening tasks with ample hustle and bustle. The scene alone where he's being recharged is delightfully rib-tickling.

The plot also serves to signal the come back of Feathers McGraw, the criminal Penguin mastermind from The Wrong Trousers. Now finding himself imprisoned in a local zoo. Whose plot to exploit Norbot for his own ends, includes exacting revenge on are heroes who were previously instrumental for having him seen brought to justice. Cue a wealth of inspired and elaborate slapstick set-pieces which I have to say really should have been brought to the big screen, as the small screen just doesn't do it quite the justice it deserves. It's none the less bags of unadulterated, outlandish fun. Not least because of the inclusion of Chief Inspector MacIntosh, (Peter Kay) last seen in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and plucky young protégée PC Mukherjee (Lauren Patel). Ben Whitehead delivers an uncanny vocal performance, replacing the late Peter Sallis, magnificently. If I didn't know any better I'd have thought it was Sallis himself. He beautifully embodies the warmth and personable charm of the character. With the rest of the voice cast certainly no shirkers either. It has lost none of Its innate Britishness.

Considering that Curse of the Were-Rabbit took five years to finally reach cinema screens in 2005. It comes as no surprise that it took sixteen years after their last short, a Matter of Loaf and Death, for us to get Vengeance Most Fowl but It's been well worth the wait.

Containing a steady stream of blink and you'll miss them small gags that demand repeated viewing. Park once again leaves us wanting more, although given its due to the demanding production process I shouldn't wonder that it might be another seventeen years since we might see them again. And fingers crossed that this won't be the last.

Wallace seems to have nailed it, having created, the Nifty odd jobbing robot, Norbot, the problems begin when Feathers McGraw breaks out of prison, and the happy go lucky robot turns rogue.

Glorious, magical viewing from start to finish, with this and Gavin and Stacey, it seems like The BBC will own Christmas day viewing.

Bags of fun, massively entertaining, full of gags and jokes, truly a show for the whole family to watch and love. With any luck we'll be treated to more in the future.

You have to give huge credit to Ben Whitehead, I honestly had to check that AI wasn't used to recreate the voice of Peter Sallis, it was seamless, what an incredible vocal performance.

Credit to Peter Kay and Reece Shearsmith, both, along with the whole cast, did a spectacular job.

I loved it so much, I've ordered myself a Feathers McGraw t-shirt.

10/10.

I liked it, but I can't say I loved the film. It's an enjoyable experience that entertains from start to finish. The story offers an interesting take on how technology, while essential and helpful in our lives, should never completely replace humans, showing that we can all coexist without one thing overshadowing the other. On top of that, the pacing is well done, with no boring or dragged-out moments, and the runtime feels just right.

The characters remain charming and carry the subtle humor that defines the series, but I have to admit that Wallace's personality irritated me at times. His stubbornness and naivety, which are usually endearing, became a bit frustrating, especially when he completely ignores Gromit's warnings and due to his lazy and complacent attitude. Still, the dynamic between them works well and keeps the charm they are known for.

The biggest highlight, as always, is the amazing stop-motion animation. It's fascinating to see the level of detail and dedication put into the sets and character movements. There were moments when I found myself admiring the painstaking effort behind every little motion and expression, imagining the time and hard work the team must have put in to achieve such perfection.

Overall, I didn't find it amazing or unforgettable, but it's a solid production that does its job well. I'm sure both kids and adults will enjoy it, whether for the nostalgia, the animation, or the clever humor that, even if not always laugh-out-loud funny, keeps a constant smile on the viewer's face.