After 35 years, countless cups of tea, and more Wensleydale cheese than you can shake a pair of techno-trousers at, the nation’s favorite man and dog are back. Wallace and Gromit, icons of British animation, have returned to our screens this Christmas in Vengeance Most Fowl – and it was well worth the wait.
The last time we saw the intrepid inventor and his long-suffering canine companion in a full-length adventure was in 2008’s A Matter of Loaf and Death. Since then, their appearances have been limited to a smattering of short films and charity specials. So a brand new outing, clocking in at a meaty 60 minutes, is quite the Christmas treat.
Revenge of the Robot
In Vengeance Most Fowl, Wallace’s latest brainwave is the “Norbot” – a voice-activated smart gnome designed to take the elbow grease out of household chores. But as usual, not everything goes to plan. When the Norbot malfunctions and goes rogue, it’s up to Gromit to save the day.
Matters are complicated by the return of Feathers McGraw, the nefarious penguin disguised as a chicken from The Wrong Trousers. Having escaped from the zoo, McGraw is out for vengeance – and he’s got his beady eye on harnessing the power of the Norbot for his own fowl ends.
Cracking Contraptions
As ever, half the joy is in the intricate, Heath Robinson-esque contraptions dreamed up by Wallace. From the Baco-matic to the Blend-o-matic, his wacky inventions are wonderfully brought to life through the painstaking stop-motion animation that’s become Aardman’s trademark.
“We spent a great deal of time coming up with suitably silly names for Wallace’s gadgets! The Norbot seemed to perfectly capture that blend of Northern sensibility and high-tech ambition.”
– Nick Park, Creator of Wallace & Gromit
But Vengeance Most Fowl offers a bit more bite than the average W&G caper. There’s a cautionary undercurrent about our growing dependence on voice-activated gizmos and AI assistants. As Wallace becomes increasingly reliant on the Norbot, Gromit starts to feel sidelined – a nice bit of social commentary amid the silliness.
Packed with Puns
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Wallace & Gromit adventure without a barrage of goofy puns and clever sight gags. Vengeance Most Fowl is stuffed to the gills with both, from Feathers McGraw’s “Maximum Wing” prison to a sublime Mission Impossible spoof involving Gromit and some cling film.
- From “poultry in motion” to “a bird in the hand” – the poultry puns come thick and fast whenever Feathers is around.
- Eagle-eyed viewers will spot all sorts of background gags, like “Jurassic Pork” dog food and penguin-themed “Beak-os” cereal.
It’s this loving attention to detail that sets Aardman’s output apart. You get the sense that every frame has been lavished with care and attention – a far cry from the slick, computer-generated polish of most modern animation.
Famous Faces
No Wallace & Gromit story would be complete without a cavalcade of British acting talent. Vengeance Most Fowl drafts in Aisling Bea as the voice of the Norbot, while Miriam Margolyes makes a welcome return as villainess Piella Bakewell.
“I’ve been a huge fan of Wallace and Gromit for years, so to be a part of their world was an absolute dream come true. Although I did spend most of my time in the recording booth doing an impression of my Alexa!”
– Aisling Bea
More Time, Please!
The only slight niggle is that at 60 minutes, Vengeance Most Fowl feels a tad overstretched. The zippy pace and gag-a-minute rhythm of classics like The Wrong Trousers is somewhat diluted. A few judicious snips in the edit suite wouldn’t have gone amiss.
But that’s a very minor quibble. Vengeance Most Fowl delivers everything you could want from a Wallace & Gromit adventure – and a few things you didn’t know you needed, like Gromit rocking a ninja outfit.
Festive Cheer
Most of all, it’s just wonderful to have Wallace and Gromit back where they belong. In an era of photorealistic CGI and high-octane blockbusters, there’s something immensely comforting about the handmade charm of stop-motion animation.
“Wallace and Gromit have always been about celebrating the little things – a nice bit of cheese, a well-made cup of tea, the satisfaction of a job well done. I think that’s why they still resonate after all these years.”
– Merlin Crossingham, Creative Director of Wallace & Gromit
So gather the family, put the kettle on, and settle in for a cracking good yarn with the most delightful duo in animation. Because if you can’t spend quality time with a cheese-loving inventor and his hyper-intelligent pooch at Christmas, when can you?
