Anthony's Film Review - Chicken Run (2000)

Funny and charming animated film from the creator of Wallace and Gromit...

For me, Chicken Run was one of those movies where I didn't see it until someone mentioned it to me. I was told that it was funny and charming. Whenever I hear that a movie is funny and charming, I usually want to see it. And if it's a cartoon, it makes me want to see it even more. There's just something about animation that makes it naturally funny and charming. I can't really describe it, but at least know that the medium lends itself to being funny and charming.

The movie was made by Aardman, the same British animation studio that introduced the world to Wallace and Gromit. And yes, Nick Park, the man behind W&G, has co-written and co-directed Chicken Run, which is a good sign. He has brought the same humor and charm (again, those two key things) from his famous man-and-dog duo to a group of chickens on a farm. As well as the farm's two human owners.

The story is that Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy, the owners of the chicken farm, have been making money from selling the eggs that the chickens have been laying. But Mrs. Tweedy soon gets a sinister idea. She decides that chicken pot pies are much more profitable. That means the chickens won't be kept alive to produce the food for sale. Instead, they will be killed, becoming the food for sale.

Among the chickens, the main one is Ginger (Julia Sawalha). She, like all the other chickens, is terrified about Mrs. Tweedy's new scheme. In fact, the film's first scene shows the chickens' multiple attempts to escape their imprisonment, as a reference to the old classic The Great Escape. Later, they try to find new ways to escape, often involving a means to fly out of the coop. One character who might help them is a rooster named Rocky (Mel Gibson) who has flown into the farm.

It's a predictable story, but it's amusing. Not to mention funny and charming. And while we're at it, maybe we can also throw in the words "delightful" and "fun." Basically, Chicken Run is a movie that can bring a smile to people of all ages. Nick Park and Aardman have successfully created another wonderful piece of work. If you're a fan of animation, you will certainly enjoy this one.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Chicken Run, visit the Internet Movie Database.