A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

I was si surprised how well the first Shaun the sheep film came out I had overly realistic expectations about this sequel. However that's not to say its not a beautifully made film.

My only problem with it was that the script was weak. What would have worked extremely well in a half hour episode is stretched very thinly here. However I am a middle aged adult and this film wasn't written with me in mind. The children in the audience seemed to love it and it is very funny in places. But it did seem a little laboured in places although the filmic references and gags were great fun to notice.

Aardmans high water mark will always be the Wallace and Gromit film of 2005. That was simply stunning and deserved all its praise. However this film doesn't come close to that masterpiece. I think the first Shaun film was also better scripted than this but it takes nothing away from the excellent animation and humour on display. Having said that I don't think the under tens are really going to care for my opinion, it's still made with great care and some genuine laugh out loud moments.

Perhaps not quite as memorable as other Aardman films of the past but still a darned sight better than some of the child orientated cgi rubbish that's also on release.

Aardman Animations, that alone is almost a guarantee for this picture to be a good animation movie. With this sequel of Shaun The Sheep they deliver again. It's a bit of fun for all ages, I'm fifty-one and I also enjoyed it, it's even better when you had a couple puffs of the magic dragon. I always watch movies with subtitles but with this one you really don't need any as there is not one known word spoken, it's all strange noises, facial expressions, but it works very well. Even with the end credits I laughed when I saw the voice-overs for all the characters because it's basically just animal impersonations that you hear. I can't imagine the amount of time the sculptors and animators worked on this project but it's clearly done by the best.

I've always found the most terrible of animated movies to be slightly impressive because of the craft itself. So much work goes into an animated film and I find myself at least giving that kind of praise to the ones I don't like. On the other side of that, it's nearly impossible for me to dislike a film like A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, simply due to the fact that it's all done in-camera for the most part. When the first theatrically released Shaun the Sheep Movie hit theatres back in 2015, it was one of my favourite movies of that year. The extremely clever visual gags had me busting a gut laughing on multiple occasions. While this sequel doesn't quite reach the praise I gave to its processor, it's undeniably still great.

If I were to base my thoughts on this film on the premise alone, I would probably give it a pretty negative score, because it's a very tired plot. Shaun the Sheep's Mossy Bottom Farm is invaded by an alien who has crash-landed on Earth. Doing his best to help this alien get home to her parents, they embark on a quest. Having to fend off an organization that also wants her to experiment on, the movie began to feel very familiar throughout the second and third acts. Luckily, the story is not where these films shine, even though it is effectively done.

Comedy is the sole reason to watch these movies. There isn't a single line of dialogue spoken throughout the entire movie, yet it's one of the funniest movies I've seen in the last couple of years. Shaun the Sheep is a series that relies on visual gags to hold the attention of its audience. From visual nods to sound effects in weird places, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is littered with things that will make average moviegoers chuckle, but will absolutely have hardcore film lovers busting a gut. This movie is so self-aware of itself that the movie almost feels like a joke in itself.

Still, it's not perfect, especially in comparison with the previously released feature film. A few pop songs throughout a film aimed at a younger audience is okay, but it seemed like this movie would cut to a montage using modern pop songs every 10-20 minutes. It didn't ruin it for me, but the silent, subtle nature of the jokes was undercut by this in my opinion. This film is far more story-driven than the previous instalment, which also hurt it because the last movie only needed the very simple idea of trying to get the animals back to the farm they came from. It was the comedy that drove that movie, which was only about half of the time here.

In the end, as far as sequels go, this is a great one. I admittedly didn't like a few of the creative choices taken and the plot felt way too familiar to latch onto, but the rest of the movie is far too clever to turn away from. I was laughing throughout the entire run time and would highly recommend this movie for kids, but also for adults who will find more humour in the subtle moments. This is a very solid sequel and I would gladly watch more of these movies. A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is now streaming on Netflix.

You know what you are getting with an Aardman film and to be honest I love it. Brilliantly stupid slapstick comedy with a British theme and plenty enough jokes subtly aimed at adults.

The story of this film is aimed at the very young but it doesn't really make any difference to the film it is still funny for all ages.

It's harmless fun and worth a visit for all the family.

IN BRIEF: A family film that has some funny moments in its sci-fi parody.

JIM'S REVIEW: (RECOMMENDED) From Aardman Animation comes its first British sequel to its 2014 feature-length film and popular character, Shaun the Sheep (a spin-off from the delightful Wallace and Gromit series entitled A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon. Nominated for an Academy Award, the movie is diverting fun, but not up to the high standards from this studio.

This installment takes its title character and his flock, along with Farmer John and his dog, Bingo, into sci-fi territory. The story is slight, and like most animated films these days, does not come near the visual artistry on display. The plot spoofs and overuses the E. T. formula as it centers on a wayward alien named Lu-La and the gang trying to help her "phone home".

As always, the film has wonderful background details with its stop-motion characters caught in a havoc of sight gags and a bit of Brit wit. Everything on view relies on its visuals to tell the story as there is no dialog and the artisans are certainly up to the task to deliver enjoyable family fare for both young and old, even if the story is old and predictable.

Well directed by Richard Phelan and Will Becher, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is a silly entertaining romp. Be charmed by the whimsical antics and spend an evening with the kids, or just have "the kid in you" see this movie. (GRADE: B-)