Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
What is important is not the story but how the story is told. The animation style allows for endless visual gags, almost all of which are impeccably timed. Like many of the best animated films (“Finding Nemo” and “Spirited Away” spring immediately to mind), this film gives the impression of a complex world that extends…
Gromit is the first to figure out the identity of the Were-Rabbit in WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT, presented by DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Features.
Photos courtesy DreamWorks Distribution LLC.
Is Michael Eisner worried yet?
Seriously. As the machine that drives the Disney merchandising juggernaut remains stalled, other animation houses have flexed their collective muscle to let the world know that Disney is no longer the only big fish in the pond.
Pixar is just about ready to sever their distribution deal because they know full well they can suceed on their own.
Fox is getting set to release a sequel to the enomously sucessful “Ice Age.”
And Dreamworks has been doing extremely well with the “Shrek” franchise.
Dreamworks has another ace in the hole and that is a distribution deal with Ardman Animation. Creator Nick Park and team announced their arrival in the feature film market with the droll comedy “Chicken Run.” Now they return to the big screen with the characters that vaulted them into prominence in the first place.
Wallace & Gromit already have two Oscars® awarded for their wonderful short films. Now it seems likely that the pair will add a third award – this time in the feature film category.
I’ve often argued that British people are simply funnier than Americans. I don’t really understand why. Perhaps they actually understand irony or the fact that a joke doesn’t need to be telegraphed to be funny. When you are already a fan of animated film as I am, adding British comedy to the mix is likely to be impossible for me to resist.
And so it is with “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.”
As Disney and other amination houses have abandoned traditional animation for computer generated imagery, Ardman remains one of the few studios (outside Japan) using any sort of hand animation.
In the case of Ardman, however, their instrument is not pencil and pigment but clay and wire. The results on a technical level are impressive. You can enjoy the movie on the basis of it’s technical sophistication long before you even begin to consider the subject of plot. I spent a good portion of the movie just looking for the individual shots and was impressed at how seamless the animation was.
Remember, every frame in the film had to be individually created. Pose a character. Shoot a frame. Pose again. Shoot a frame. Repeat very nearly ad infinitum.
When you consider the complex camera moves combined with character movement, you will likely find yourself humbled as you would most probably never have the patience for such a task of creation.
Yet the technical accomplishment is nothing without a compelling story. Fortunately, this film delivers.
How it delivers I am loathe to say. My one, major criticism I have for this film is the use of trailers that give away far too much of the plot.
What is important is not the story but how the story is told. The animation style allows for endless visual gags, almost all of which are impeccably timed. Like many of the best animated films (“Finding Nemo” and “Spirited Away” spring immediately to mind), this film gives the impression of a complex world that extends far beyond the borders of the frame. We leave the theater wanting to look behind corners and travel down alleys of the world we have just seen.
It is important (and difficult) to keep an eye on the large number of signs populating the film. They are all amusing at the very least. I can’t wait to get this film home where I can view individual frames.
Of special note in a film that has many things to praise is the voice work of Ralph Fiennes. It is easy to dismiss voice work as something actors do for fun but Fiennes seems to take great plesure in the reading of his lines. A smile would creep on to my face every time his character appeard on the screen.
Final verdict: Fantastic film. I’m certain the kids will love it but don’t you make the mistake of thinking this is a movie for the kids. Nick Park and company produce sophisticated, layered comedy that should appeal to everyone who enters the theatre. Enjoy!
Tim Wick is a guest columnist whose reviews appear regularly at Cinemaphilia.com.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit • Dolby® Digital surround sound in select theatres • Running Time: 85 minutes • MPAA Rating: G • Distributed by DreamWorks Pictures