Inventive Tail of Poultry Freedom

Chicken Run Dir: Peter Lord       Nick Park Starring (voices) Julie Sawalha Miranda Richardson Mel Gibson Imelda Staunton 2000 G, 84 m RATING: 8 out of 10

A FOWL UP:  Mel Gibson gets the feathers flying with his annoying voiceover in this otherwise charming claymation feature.

Call it Bravheart for poultry, Chicken Run is a sweet, good-natured, nicely-crafted family film about a group of chickens on a Yorkshire farm in the 1950s who dream of freedom beyond the fences.  They are headed by spirited hen Ginger, who organizes and rallies her fellow howl in various failed attempts to escape.  Then one night, Rocky Rhodes, a flying rooster, ends up hiding in a chicken coop and promising to teach them how to fly out of the farm. While entire thign may sound like a film driven purely at kids, it's surprisingly charming and intelligent, using its English setting to its advantage, creating a group of disarmingly funny and cute, memorable characters that adults can also enjoy.  The voiceovers are often hilarious, except for Mel Gibson, whose harsh, gratingly annoying voice seems totally out of place as the asinine American rooster.  Perhaps if a different actor had been used, the character would seem much more likable. The claymation in the film is flawless, and the enlarged eyes and overall pudgy look of the hens is very adorable.  All the characters looks as if thet were delicately, lovingly created and are treated as such.  There is also a thrilling ride inspired by Indian Jones through a chicken pot pie machine. A truly imaginative animation movie, Chicken Run is fun fare that both kids and their families can enjoy.

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