Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Review: A Clay Triumph

Is Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl worth watching?

Yes, without hesitation. Vengeance Most Fowl is Aardman at the peak of its powers: a brisk, inventive and endlessly funny stop-motion caper that feels both classic and completely fresh. Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham pack its 79 minutes with sight gags, handmade spectacle and a sly satire of smart technology, and never lose the warmth at the heart of the series. If there is a small quibble, it is that the film leans heavily on affection for an earlier adventure, but the jokes land so reliably that it hardly matters.

What is Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl about?

Wallace, the cheese-loving inventor of West Wallaby Street, has a new creation: Norbot, a “smart gnome” robot designed to take care of the garden and make life easier. Gromit, his long-suffering and far more sensible dog, is unconvinced, especially as Wallace seems to rely on gadgets more than ever. Meanwhile, Feathers McGraw, the silent, sinister penguin who once tried to use the duo in a diamond robbery, is watching from behind bars and has plans of his own for Wallace’s latest invention.

Ben Whitehead voices Wallace, with Reece Shearsmith as Norbot, Peter Kay as a police chief inspector and Lauren Patel as an ambitious young constable. Directed by Crossingham and Park, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a British production in English, running 79 minutes. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Handmade spectacle at its finest

Every frame shows the care of stop-motion animation, from the thumbprints in the clay to the cluttered detail of Wallace’s house. Aardman’s craft has never looked more confident. The film includes an elaborate chase sequence that rivals the famous model-train pursuit from The Wrong Trousers, and the invention on display, with gadgets, contraptions and physical comedy layered into every shot, rewards repeat viewings.

The visual comedy is relentless and precise. Background signs, newspaper headlines and blink-and-you-miss-it gags fill the frame, while Gromit, who never speaks, conveys exasperation, suspicion and heroism through a raised brow or a sidelong glance. He remains one of the great silent performers in animation, and this film gives him plenty to do.

A satire that knows its limits

Beneath the slapstick is a gentle critique of our dependence on technology. Norbot is endlessly helpful, and that helpfulness quickly becomes a problem: the film pokes fun at smart-home gadgets, automation and the ease with which convenience can turn into control. It is a timely theme, but Park and Crossingham never let it become preachy. The satire is woven into the comedy, and the real point is the friendship between Wallace and Gromit, which the gadgets threaten to overshadow.

Feathers McGraw is as menacing as ever, a villain who conveys pure malevolence without a word, and his return is a genuine delight for fans. Norbot, voiced with cheery menace by Shearsmith, is a worthy new addition, and the police subplot with Kay and Patel adds some well-judged comic contrast.

Only the smallest reservations

It is hard to fault the film, but it does rely on familiarity with the characters, and some of the biggest laughs depend on knowing The Wrong Trousers. Newcomers will still enjoy it, though they may miss some of the pleasure of the reunion. The police characters are also more sketch than substance. These are minor points in a film that otherwise does almost everything right.

Who should watch Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl?

It is ideal for families, for longtime fans of Wallace and Gromit, and for anyone who appreciates the craft of stop-motion animation. At 79 minutes, it is perfect for a single sitting with children. It is rated U in the UK and PG in the United States, with mild peril and cartoonish action that should suit all but the youngest viewers.

For more acclaimed animation:

• The Wild Robot, another 2024 animated film about a robot and its place in the world, told with more sincerity and less slapstick.
• Memoir of a Snail, for a melancholy, adult-oriented stop-motion film from the same awards season.
• More stop-motion and hand-drawn favourites on the animation shelf.

The verdict

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a triumphant return for one of animation’s most beloved double acts, a caper packed with wit, invention and heart. It is funny, clever and made with extraordinary care, the kind of family film that works as well for adults as it does for children.

Rating: 5/5