by Philip Ellwood, Tuesday 18th October 2005
‘Wallace & Gromit‘ have become two of the best-loved characters of all-time. Their crazy capers have made them a worldwide brand and they‘ve had their faces plastered on everything from t-shirts right through to bedspreads. The success of ‘Wallace & Gromit‘ is even more astounding when you consider that director/creator Nick Park had only made three 30-minute episodes by the time the characters had lodged themselves into the hearts of viewers across the globe. The last ‘Wallace & Gromit‘ adventure took place a decade ago so it was with great anticipation that I ran down to my local cinema to catch the new movie.
‘The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit‘ begins with Wallace and Gromit successfully running their own pest-control company, Anti-Pesto. Relied upon by the entire community Wallace and Gromit help the locals rid their vegetable patches of troublesome rabbits in the lead up to Tottington Hall‘s ‘Annual Vegetable Growing Contest‘. After helping rid Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham-Carter) of her rabbit problem, Wallace accidentally creates a Were-Rabbit using his newly invented mind-altering machine. After the rabbit escapes Wallace and Gromit have to trap the Were-Rabbit and avoid the jealous rage of Lady Tottington‘s would-be-suitor Victor (Ralph Fiennes) and his evil dog Phillip. Can Wallace and Gromit save the day?
‘Wallace & Gromit - The Curse of The Were-Rabbit‘ has been five years in the making and easily one of the most anticipated films of the year. The film succeeds on every level and will appeal to everyone. The thing I enjoyed about the film was how it kept to its roots and didn‘t compromise itself for the transfer to the big screen. The Yorkshire humour is still in place and the film is consistently hilarious. Peter Kay pops up as PC Makintosh and adds a nice touch to an already fantastic film. Peter Sallis is as endearing as always voicing Wallace and Helena Bonham-Carter and Ralph Fiennes prove themselves to be great sports with their voice talents.
I saw the film in a packed cinema and the atmosphere was incredible. You could tell that the mums and dads were enjoying the film more than the kids and the constant laughter really added to the delight of the film. Nick Park should be congratulated for his efforts. The film is simply wonderful and is destined to become a family classics for years to come. ‘Wallace & Gromit - The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit‘ is always entertaining and never dull. The mix of comedy, adventure, suspense and intelligence creates a film that ‘Wallace & Gromit‘ fans will lap up and new fans will be sure to visit the duo‘s previous adventures.
The film is without a doubt the best family movie that I have seen in 2005. It manages the rare ability to entertain, thrill and never disappoint. Whatever your stance on animation put it to one side and go and see this truly delightful film.
Cast
Peter Sallis
Ralph Fiennes
Helena Bonham-Carter
Peter Kay
Certificate - PG
Director - Nick Park
Distributor - Dreamworks
UK Release Date - Friday 14th October 2005
Celebrities Worldwide Rating - 10 out of 10
David Jensen Photography:
https://www.davidjensen.co.uk/
