What Is It?
After a career that includes shorts, TV ads, and music videos (not to mention Academy Awards for Wallace & Gromit), this is Nick Park's first full length movie.
A parody of 1963's "The Great Escape" Clay-mation chickens stuck in a 1950 English farm try to escape with the help of a circus rooster named Rocky.
How Was It?
Not as tight as his short subject films, Nick Park and his partner, Peter Lord, still deliver a fun and innovative movie filled with over-the-top characters, fun planning and scheming, as well as danger and a little romance.
The animation is great. Even when there are rows and rows of chickens all waiting to be counted, each is moving, each is giving its own changing facial-expression. It is amazing.
Starting from the opening escape attempts, to Mel Gibson's entrance as Rocky the rooster r(ecreating his final line from Braveheart), there is always something to look at and giggle with.
The movie is fun, but if you have seen the original, it becomes much more cutting in its comic edge.
Is It Good For Kids?
Some younger children may be scared by the (SPOILER) dark ending that involves a bloodless and mistaken beheading and a woman falling to her supposed demise. Still, for the most part, they are going to enjoy the creative characters that are just fun to look at, doing silly things even if they are too young to catch all the subtle humor
You can check www.ScreenIt.com for a complete break down of elements shown on the screen.
How about Spiritual Issues?
If you extrapolated this beyond a parody to say that it is inherently evil to eat a chicken, this would contradict the Bible. Though groups like PETA try to use these movies for their own end, that was not the intent of the film makers nor the message that will come across to most movie goers.
What is more likely to happen is the much more natural examination of a fantasy world where chickens talk, than taking in the themes that relate to our own. Though there is nothing specifically Christian about the film, themes of bravery, valor, honesty and self-sacrifice for the good of others are all very Biblical in their presentation.
What Is Your Recommendation?
This is a movie with multiple levels and plenty to enjoy for most the family. Here is entertainment that is well done, creative, and has nothing to exclude Christians from enjoying.
From what I have seen so far, I would recommend anything Nick Park has done.
(I can not wait for the full length Wallace & Gromit!)
