Aardman’s four-time Academy Award®-winning director Nick Park and Emmy Award-nominated Merlin Crossingham are back with an all-new adventure in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Last year, we were rushed into adventure with Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. Now, the hijinks continue in this warm, family-friendly evasion of vengeance!
This latest installment in the Wallace & Gromit franchise sees Gromit’s concern for Wallace’s state of mind growing because of his dependence on inventions. Determined to invent a machine to turn a profit, he finally strikes gold with his “smart” gnome that’s used to assist with daily tasks. Just as things start to look up, the gnomes become “too” smart and develop a mind of their own. Meanwhile, the equally adorable but dangerous Feathers McGraw emerges from the past with his eyes set on vengeance. With the odds set against Wallace, it’s up to Gromit to rectify the gnome problem and thwart the perilous plans of a penguin!
It’s relieving to see a family-friendly franchise stand the test of time. It appeals to audiences of all ages and balances humor for all age groups. Whether it’s hilarious dialogue or the fact a penguin can wear a glove for a hat and everyone takes him for a chicken, the film is riotously funny and arrives just in time for Christmas.
Wallace and Gromit live a pretty simple life. At home, life consists of one engineering marvel after another. Wallace would never admit it, but he wouldn’t be able to manage without Gromit. Not only is he a live-in alarm clock, but the inventions that help him get started for the day activate when Gromit pulls a lever. Opposite his owner, Gromit enjoys simple things like reading the newspaper and tending to his garden. More often than not, Wallace’s inventions get in his way and act as obstacles to his enjoyment. This is why in Vengeance Most Fowl, Gromit’s frustrations grow as the inventions begin to interfere with his enjoyment.
When bills start to pile, the envelopes serve as a sobering reminder that inventions for his productivity won’t pay the bills. This is the catalyst behind the invention that’s known as the “smart gnome” called Norbot. Birthed from a place of selflessness (he wanted to free Gromit from having to care for the garden), Wallace haphazardly creates an invention that actually works. Controlled from a laboratory deep within his basement, everything seems to be heading in the right direction.
Unbeknownst to our dynamic duo, an old foe has stepped onto the scene… From the shadows. Diamond bandit Feathers McGraw, a name that strikes fear into the hearts of many, has been placed in a maximum security prison and has come to grips with his fate… That is until he catches a newscast featuring an old acquaintance (Wallace). Raging in the calmest way imaginable, our petty penguin hatches a plan to exact revenge without having to leave his cell. It’s from here that the adventure truly begins and the film takes flight.
One interesting aspect of the new film is that it’s the first major Wallace & Gromit project not to feature the voice of actor Peter Sallis, who died in 2017. It was a huge challenge but Crossingham explained that finding a replacement was a long journey but felt comfortable passing the torch to Ben Whitehead, who was Sallis’s understudy for 11 years.
The voice cast includes Ben Whitehead (Wallace), Peter Kay (Chief Inspector Mackintosh), Lauren Patel (P.C Mukherjee), Reece Shearsmith (Norbot), Diane Morgan (Onya Doorstep), Adjoa Andoh (Judge), Muzz Khan (Anton Deck), and Lenny Henry (Mr Convenience).
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl gets a 9.5 out of 10. It’s a barrel of laughs and there’s plenty of fun to be had. It’s a loose, enjoyable experience that’ll leave audiences happier than they were when they came. From a penguin with a chicken persona to a news anchor named Onya Doorstep (on your doorstep), this stop-motion comedy is a must for the holiday and arrives on Netflix after the New Year.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl premieres in select theaters on Dec. 18 and arrives on Netflix on Jan. 3, 2025.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Netflix
Genre: Animation, Family
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1 hr 10 mins
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: Theaters – Dec. 18, 2024 | Netflix – Jan. 3, 2025