Review: Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

Hello everybody and welcome to my first review of the new year! It has been a while since I’ve done one of these, but I really wanted to wait till this year to start getting back into the habit of doing reviews on the regular. So what better way to start things off than with one of the most iconic duos of animation, Wallace & Gromit. Ever since they first debuted back in 1989, they have been the subject of various shorts, specials, and even feature length films showing to have immense popularity throughout the decades. I myself am a huge fan of them, having watched their specials quite a few times back when I was little and their last movie, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, being one my favorite films distributed by Dreamworks Animation. Now they return with their second feature length production since that one, with Vengeance Most Fowl which premiered in the UK on BBC last year and is now streaming on Netflix everywhere this year. With that said, is it able to capture the spirit of these lovable characters? Let’s jump right and see if this latest adventure is just as charming as past adventures!

While most Wallace & Gromit romps tend to be self contained, this is actually something of a follow up to the (wonderful) 1993 short film, The Wrong Trousers, in which the duo squared off against a villainous penguin named Feathers McGraw who was after a valuable diamond. He has since been kept imprisoned in a zoo vowing revenge against Wallace & Gromit. Meanwhile, the cheese loving inventor and his dog of no words continue to live their peaceful yet chaotic lives. However, Gromit has noticed Wallace becoming a bit too obsessed with his inventions. Things go even further when Wallace invents a robotic garden gnome named Norbot that is programmed to provide all sorts of assistance, much to Gromit’s concern. However once Wallace decides to use Norbot in order to start a gardening service, things begin to spiral out of control as strange things start to occur with Norbot.

Given that it has been a while since we last saw a major piece of Wallace & Gromit media, one does wonder if there is anything more that can still be done with these characters while still maintaining that charm. Thankfully that turns out to be the case here as director, Nick Park, and screenwriter, Mark Burton, are able to do that while also crafting a story that is able to keep things fresh. This is done by tackling more modern themes related to technology and the negative effects of having overreliance on it which is exemplified through Wallace inventing the Norbot and using technology a bit too much to the point where his love for Gromit becomes overshadowed. It is a theme that makes sense to tackle given Wallace’s character and is done quite well with it making for a solid main conflict, while also being the launching pad for various jokes that poke fun at it.

The comedy in general is on point throughout with the film being a fast paced joke a minute fest that either always has some clever gag up its sleeve or with characters reacting to some of the wacky stuff unfold being very enjoyable. Plus, it never feels overwhelming or too frenetic for its own good which, instead moving at just the right pace. Admittedly, there are times where it does pulls some familiar story beats/ideas from other pieces of Wallace and Gromit stories (Wallace being too obsessed with inventing, an invention going wrong, etc.) which can be apparent at times, but it is still able to put just enough of a new spin on some of them to still feel worthwhile in its own right.

One aspect of any Aardman production that adds to the amusement at play is the animation. It has that inherent charm that claymation productions tend to have and the animators at Aardman have proven themselves time and again to be masters of it. This one continues to impress in that regard with a lot of impressive things being accomplished here. The designs continue to be very fun, with that classic Aardman look with a lot being done to show off the expressions of the characters which only adds to the comedy (or in the case of Feathers McGraw, the lack of expression). Same can be said for the movements which are at times fast paced to an extent that’s further impressive when one considers the amount of time it take to make it happen and it all moves very fluidly and makes so many scenes, in particular those involving the speedy Norbot, pop all the more.

It also makes the action sequences exciting as well, with them having the right amount of excitement and energy to make them both fun, while having the needed stakes. This is especially true of a sequence involving a boat chase which is up there with some of the classic Wallace & Gromit action. It also is quite something to look back at some of the older specials and just how much has been expanded to in regards to the production design with later works including more locations that are bigger in scope and having more details with the duo’s house being a real visual treat with so many inventions being strewn around.

This all being said, what makes a Wallace & Gromit story work as well as it does is the two lovable title characters and to say it is a joy to see them again after so much time would be an understatement. Whether it be Wallace’s (Ben Whitehead doing a great job filling in for the late Peter Sallis) simultaneous intellect and obliviousness or Gromit’s frustrations with his owner, it is always fun seeing them interact with both each other and the world around them. What I like about this film specifically, is how it explores that relationship a little bit more with how Wallace’s obsession can overshadow his bond with Gromit which can lead to some genuinely effective emotional moments (there’s one moment in the end that was especially powerful). Plus Gromit not being the only one suspicious of the Norbot experiment also avoided making the proceedings get frustrating and a repeat of The Wrong Trousers. Speaking of Norbot, I felt he made for a delightful new addition, with Reece Shearsmith providing the needed energy to make the robotic gnome(s) endearing at some points and threatening when things go haywire at others. Also appreciated how the film presents both the benefits and setbacks of the invention to provide some nuance to the technology angle at play.

As far as the rest of the supporting characters go, the subplot involving Chief Inspector Mackintosh (Peter Kay) and his young protege, PC Mukherjee (Lauren Patel), is quite entertaining with that mentor-mentee relationship, where the mentor may not always be the brightest leading to some solid jokes, a nice arc for the latter learning to follow her own gut and some amusing plot turns. And then there’s Feathers McGraw, arguably the most iconic foe the duo has ever faced, who has not lost his touch as a great villain. There’s just something inherently funny about this silent penguin who has immense intellect and is just diabolical, providing a legitimate threat while being a great source of comedy. Him just staring at things is just amusing in and of itself and I like how even though he is a genius, there are times where he doesn’t think everything through, which just a nice little touch that makes him more entertaining.

On the whole, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is yet another joyful addition to the Wallace & Gromit canon, that continues to show how timeless these characters are. It definitely has some familiar elements from previous specials and films, but it is able to keep things fresh with some well done messaging related to technology, hilarious jokes, wonderful animation, infectious energy, a lot of heart, and enjoyable characters. It is genuinely impressive just how high the quality average for this brand tends to be, with not really any misses being present. This one just manages to do the impressive task of maintaining that classic charm, while still managing to keep up with the times in a way that doesn’t negate that charm. I’m not sure when the next time we see these two will be (given the insane amount of effort that goes into them from a technical standpoint, it’ll likely be a while till we get another feature length film), but I’m just happy that we were able to get this wonderful caper to scratch that itch.

Rating: A

Please leave your thoughts down below in the comments and see you guys later!