I watched Chicken Run again recently and was reminded of just how good a film it was. Directed by Wallace & Grommit maestro Nick Park and Aardman colleague Peter Lord (an Executive Producer for both “A Close Shave” and “The Wrong Trousers”), it tells the story of a group of chickens plotting to escape from a farm. The farm owner, Mr Tweedy, and particularly his shrewd and basically evil wife Mrs Tweedy have a plan that will make the regular egg inspections and their sometimes gruesome outcomes seem like innocent fun.

Leading the contingent of chickens is Ginger (voiced superbly by Julia Sawalha), a plucky chicken to be sure but fast running out of ideas of how to escape the Tweedy’s and their menacing guard dogs. After yet another failed escape attempt, all seems lost. The something – well, someone – er… somerooster literally flies into the camp, and the idea of escaping takes on a whole new lease of life. For Rocky (Mel Gibson), the rooster among a host of adoring females, the whole concept of helping the others escape seems preposterous. However, with his past catching up with him, he hatches a plan – but not all the chickens are to be so easily fooled. The only male chicken on the farm, old former RAF rooster, immediately distrusts the American rooster, while two enterprising rodents, Nick and Fletcher, are sent scavenging for parts. But can Rocky really deliver even a tenth of what he promises? Will he overcome his traits of being a loner to help the team? Will love blossom?

Yes well none of those are important because this is a happy family movie so you know how it’s going to end, but what does matter here is just how well it’s all put together. With upwards of 20 scenes being filmed concurrently, Park and Lord were practically nervous wrecks by the end of this film. The quality of the clay animation is superb throughout the film, with plenty of detailed touches in the background that could easily be missed if you’re not paying attention, ensuring that repeated viewings will reveal new delights. The whole storyline is put together very well with a fine sense of irony and sending up all the old “Great Escape” style movies (and of course that particular movie itself), and the dialogue is often funny, complementing the sometimes hilarious antics of the chickens.

The voice acting is, like the animation, uniformly excellent. In particular Sawalha, Jane Horrocks (Babs – she’s the stupid but nice one and gets most of the funniest lines), and Imelda Staunton (Bunty) are superb voicing the chickens. The only two humans of note – Mr and Mrs Tweedy – are brilliantly portrayed by Tony Haygarth and Miranda Richardson. Timothy Spall is hilarious as Nick, one of the entrepreneurial rats, and Gibson certainly doesn’t disappoint as Rocky. Lynne Ferguson voices Mac, a Scottish chicken who Rocky can never understand (“was that really English she was speaking?!?”) Really though I could mention every single voice actor because they’re all excellent in this film. The whole thing is seamlessly put together and doesn’t seem a moment too long at 84 minutes. The music (by Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell) is also cracking :-D This truly is a movie that people of all ages, from 3 to 93, can enjoy watching. In total it won or was nominated for a staggering 41 awards, and deservedly so.

Anyone who liked the Wallace and Grommit films will love this, but seriously I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy it. Made in 2000, this hasn’t aged a bit and I think it never will. A fantastic achievement, and a great film.

Very little objectionable content of any kind, too. Rated U in the UK and G in the States.


Quotes

Babs: All me life flashed before me eyes.

…

…

…


Babs: It was really borin'.


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Ginger: So laying eggs all your life and then getting plucked, stuffed and roasted is good enough for you, is it?
Babs: It's a livin'.

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Fetcher: It's raining hen.

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Rocky: You see, flying takes three things: Hard work, perseverance and... hard work.
Fowler: You said "hard work" twice.
Rocky: That's because it takes twice as much work as perseverance.

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Ginger: I should turn you in right now.
Rocky: You wouldn't... would you?
Ginger: Give me one reason why I shouldn't.
Rocky: Because I'm... cute?

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Nick: Poultry in Motion.

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Fowler: Cock-a-doodle-doo. What, what.
(Fowler is very British!)

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Mr. Tweedy: Now let that be a lesson for the lot of ya - no chicken escapes from Tweedy's farm!

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Nick: Eggs. Just like the ones that rooster was gonna lay. Only roosters don't lay eggs, do they?
Fetcher: Don't they?
Nick: No, it's a lady thing apparently - ask your mum.
Other Claymation Reviews

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What is Claymation / clay animation?
King Kong (1933) - features some of the earliest clay animation in film history
A Grand Day Out - Wallace and Gromit's first adventure.
The Wrong Trousers - the second and my favourite W & G short film
A Close Shave - the third W & G films, featuring sheep!
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit - the dynamic duo’s first feature-length film!


See also: Top Ten Children's Movies


Recommended: Yes