Aardman Productions has managed to bring stop-motion animation into this century on television and in film. Can they bring the lovable characters from their television series onto the big screen?
Kid's Korner rating: 3.25 stars
Parent's Rating: 4 stars
If you are not familiar with the world of Mossy Bottom Farm, you probably do not know anyone under 10 years of age. Shaun the Sheep has been an Aardman (Chicken Run, Wallace and Gromit) produced television show since 2007. It is designed without dialogue, but it teaches moral lessons to children in a humorous and endearing manner. The concept works across cultural lines and the production team adds a bit of humour for any adult that happens into the room. The average show is about seven minutes long and holds the attention of the young and old. The question is can the stop-motion wizards at Aardman produce a feature length film with no dialogue and this mischievous herd of sheep?
In true Aardman style and with the help of a bubble-headed farmer, they manage to deliver an entertaining barnyard experience. The producers stay true to the magic of the television series. Shaun desires to get a break from the daily routines of farm life. In the process of trying to enjoy some creature comforts, they accidentally send Farmer into Big City. The herd must battle against the trappings of the Big City, Farmer's amnesia and A. Trumper, the evil animal containment officer. With the help of Blitzer the dog and his wooly flock, Shaun leads the adventure to find Farmer and work to get him back to Mossy Bottom Farm without their shepherd being any the wiser.
The storyline is unbelievable, but keep in mind that this farm tale contains a dog who uses toilet paper, pigs who wear red underwear and sheep who are concerned about their hair style. Even in the most ridiculous of situations, the sheep and the story translate wonderfully to the big screen. There are the inevitable fart jokes and manure references, but in the end this farm fresh tale was clean and enjoyable. Shaun the Sheep Movie will not win awards for story originality, but considering what it takes 20 workers a full day of production to produce two seconds of footage, Aardman deserves respect. The writing is designed for young children and the audience burst into laughter with each prat fall and with the excitement of seeing the animals prevail. Not to say that adults cannot enjoy Shaun and his flock, too. There are enough references to great prison break films, poking fun at social networking and the fascination with movie star hair styles to keep the adults engaged to the end. This animal adventure contains something for the parent and the child and it was a sheer delight.
Dad asked the question on the ride home, 'What did we think of the film?'
All age groups seemed to like the film. It was not ground breaking cinema, but it was a great matinee film for the family. I doubt it will connect with teenagers, but it is a breath of farm fresh air for families looking for something for small children. We hope Aardman continues to produce quality children's films for many years to come.
All age groups seemed to like the film. It was not ground breaking cinema, but it was a great matinee film for the family. I doubt it will connect with teenagers, but it is a breath of farm fresh air for families looking for something for small children. We hope Aardman continues to produce quality children's films for many years to come.
Reel Dialogue: What are the bigger questions to consider from this film?
1. How are people and sheep similar? The Bible makes comparisons to sheep and humans 220 times (Psalm 23, John 10)
2. How does community play into our lives? (Galatians 6:2, Hebrews 10:24-25)
What is Kid's Korner? Click on the link and see.
What is Kid's Korner? Click on the link and see.
Kid's Korner are shorter reviews written by Russell Matthews' kid's perspective and based on a five star rating system @ Russelling Reviews #russellingreviews
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