WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL -- Another Classic Adventure for the Iconic Animated Duo

Review by Camden Ferrell

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl marks the return of the iconic animated duo in their second feature film ever. Almost 20 years after their last feature, these two lovable characters are back with director Nick Park at the helm once again, this time joined by co-director Merlin Crossingham. Even if this movie can’t live up to the heights of its previous entries, this is still a fun and classic adventure that audiences everywhere are going to love.
 
As with most of their adventures, this movie follows Wallace as he creates an intelligent robotic garden gnome with capabilities to assist with a myriad of household tasks. However, things go awry when an old villain finds a way to use this technology for their own nefarious purposes. The narrative structure is classic for this duo, and it sees them fulfilling their respective niches as characters and makes for a simple and fun adventure.
 
This is the first installment not to be written by Park even though he is credited for the story. Mark Burton’s script stands as one of the best of his career in animation, and it retains a lot of the signature Wallace & Gromit charm that makes their endeavors so endearing. It has great comedy, great action, and great heart which is nothing short of what’s expected of this franchise.

Despite voicing Wallace for the last decade and change, this is the first major installment to feature Ben Whitehead as the titular inventor. He does an amazing job carrying on the legacy of Peter Sallis who helped shape the character with his talented voice work.
 
One would be remiss if they didn’t commend the dying art of stop-motion animation on display, and as always, this franchise does a phenomenal job with its animation. It’s full of undeniable personality that elevates this film to be a brilliant piece of animated storytelling that will hopefully last for years to come. While there’s so much to love about this movie, I will concede that the one thing that feels odd about this entry is that it feels the slightest bit like a product of its time. One of the core features I love about this franchise is how timeless its stories feel, but I’m not sure if it’s the state of technology we currently live in, but I have hard time believing this will be as timeless as its predecessors. However, this is a minor gripe in a movie that does so much right.
 
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a glorious feature-length return for two animated icons. It may not be mind-blowing or world-ending, it delivers reliable enjoyment and jubilee as expected. It’s a heartfelt and hilarious journey that reminds us of how valuable the medium of stop-motion animation is, and one can only hope we get more of these characters sooner rather than later.
 
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is streaming on Netflix January 3.
 
Rating: 4/5