Wallace & Gromit: A Feathered Frenzy – A Chuckle-Worthy Review of Criminal Shenanigans!

I can’t recall how I encountered Wallace & Gromit for the first time, but I became an immediate enthusiast. Wallace’s passion for cheese. Gromit’s sarcastic, silent rejections of Wallace. The brilliantly humorous inventions. The camaraderie between them. Additionally, when you combine all this with the expertise of one of the finest stop-motion animation studios alive, what’s there to dislike? All of this had me greatly anticipating Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which is debuting on Netflix this week. I am thrilled to say my expectations were not just met but surpassed by this remarkably well-made movie.

Wallace (Ben Whitehead) is continuously searching for ways to simplify life for both himself and Gromit, yet his inventions increasingly challenge their finances. Upon inventing a new household assistance robot, Norbot (Reece Shearsmith), he soon discovers he could lend it to his neighbors to help offset their costs. Everything seems to be unfolding perfectly until Feathers McGraw, imprisoned for the theft of a rare blue diamond, takes control of Norbot and frames Wallace for his offenses. As a result, Wallace and Gromit must devise a means to vindicate themselves before Chief Inspector Mackintosh (Peter Kay) and Police Captain Mukherjee (Lauren Patel) incarcerate them for McGraw’s misdeeds.

I haven’t laughed this hard while watching a film in quite some time. This feature is packed with astounding visual jokes, clever wordplay, and intriguing background elements. It’s a rare moment when something on screen doesn’t draw your attention and elicit a chuckle.

The vocal performances in this production are exceptional. Whitehead has voiced Wallace since Peter Sallis’ retirement, and he is truly charming in the part, imbuing Wallace with the right balance of self-assurance and innocence. Diane Morgan has a brief appearance as the journalist Onya Doorstep and is, naturally, phenomenal. Both Kay and Patel deliver outstanding performances as the bumbling officers, infusing so much energy into their roles. Shearsmith is outstanding as each version of Norbot, presenting just the right degree of cartoonish menace.

Share

However, the true highlights of Vengeance Most Fowl are Gromit and McGraw, two characters that remain mute. Under the superb direction of Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham and with the skilled hands of the sculptors and animators at Aardman Studios, a silent dog and penguin manage to steal every scene they inhabit.

Stop-motion animation is consistently remarkable, and Aardman is the benchmark for a reason. This film is visually stunning. The meticulous attention to detail continuously captivates, and they created something involving water in this film that completely amazed me.

Vengeance Most Fowl is undoubtedly a film that offers longtime Wallace & Gromit admirers numerous nods to earlier films and shorts over the years, but the narrative is fresh enough to appeal to those who have never seen any of their grand adventures. The humor resonates across all ages, just like the relationship between Wallace & Gromit. After all, no penguin donned with a red rubber glove on his head can separate a man from his dearest companion.

This review initially appeared in The Dominion Post on December 28, 2024.