"That's a nice-a donut."
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
After being modest hits in a series of animated short films, the wacky duo of Wallace and Gromit finally made their feature film debut in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. From directors Nick Park and Steve Box of Aardman Animations, the movie was created using the impressive stop-motion animation process, and it is a delight to behold.
Wallace the inventor (voiced by Peter Sallis) and his loyal dog and partner Gromit (he doesn't talk) are the Anti-Pesto security team. They catch rabbits, rodents and other pests and then adopt the smarmy critters, who then reside in the basement of their home. Many residents of their town use Anti-Pesto to keep their beloved vegetables safe. See, each year the town holds a friendly giant vegetable competition and the veggies are a great source of pride for the townsfolk. So when a large, mysterious creature begins ruining and destroying people's crops, people start getting very anxious. Of course, Wallace and Gromit are brought into stop the carnage, but a couple things are getting in the way. First, is Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes), a snotty dirtball who figures that hunting and killing the creature is the way to go. Second, is a dark secret that could threaten to bring down not only the vegetable competition but also Anti-Pesto.
Much of the film's animation appears rather simplistic at first - especially many of the character models. But on closer inspection, there are some stunning intricacies in the details. It is filled with many laborious, mesmerizing sequences, including several chases that are feats by themselves. The Mouse Trap-like sequence that triggers in the W&G home when someone has an infestation is an absolute riot.
Of course, this is a children's film first there are many sly references that are sure to make the adults chuckle as well. Such as a scene where Wallace is naked, except for a cardboard box in front of his mid-region; the box has a written warning that says, "may contain nuts." Or a scene where the lovely Lady Tottington is showing Wallace her large collection of big vegetables - her passion makes it seem like a love scene to those outside her house (including the very perplexed Gromit). And speaking of Gromit, who doesn't talk and, in fact, doesn't make a sound out of his mouth the whole movie, is still very funny. Some of the best moments in the picture and his hilarious reactions to things, be it a simple shrug or a raised eyebrow. Then there are the small details - like how Wallace would do pretty much anything for cheese, or that Gromit is a knitter - that might seem like just throwaway bits, but end up creating depth and a real warmth to the characters.
Once the secret is revealed, the story becomes a bit more standard; ultimately, we've seen much of it before, but it's still fun. But it is amazing, and very refreshing, that in an age where computer-generated (CGI) movies are king in the animation world (heck, even Disney’s once-vaunted studio has closed its traditional 2-D studio), that less showy, handcrafted creations can still be successful. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a fine movie for people of all ages, and should be an easy choice for the Academy voters as Best Animated Feature of the year.
The Verdict: A-.
Michael Bentley 10:10 AM
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