Children.
The moment you look away, they do something stupid.
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| Although Funland Farms appears to be a larkish paradise, Frizzle and Molly soon wonder why all the other chickens seem ... well ... not in control of their own selves. |
(This seems to be the season for animated poultry, given that this film follows hot on the wings of Illumination’s Migration.)
This sequel is something of a surprise, given that 2000’s Chicken Run was almost a quarter-century ago. But scarcely any time has passed in the lives of intrepid avians Ginger (voiced by Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky (Zachary Levi), since they orchestrated a mass escape from the farm run by evil Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy. The clutch has settled in an idyllic island sanctuary in the middle of an isolated lake, where life has been stress-free.
Their only visitors are skillful scavenger rats Nick (Romesh Ranganathan) and Fletcher (Daniel Mays), who pop up occasionally with supplies.
Ginger and Rocky soon are blessed with a hatchling, Molly, who grows into an adventurous — and restless — adolescent (now voiced by Bella Ramsey).
A surge of suspicious-looking trucks on the mainland fuel concern that a new chicken farm is being constructed, which prompts Ginger and the others to better conceal their community. Alas, that isn’t enough to deter the insatiably curious Molly, who crosses the water and then — having never before seen one — stops in the middle of a paved road.
(Insert the obvious joke.)
She’s rescued from a nasty death by Frizzle (Josie Sedgwick-Davis), a similarly adventurous young chicken beguiled by the slogan on all the passing trucks: “Funland Farms: Where Chickens Find Their Happy Endings.” All the trucks are filled with happily clucking chickens, apparently oblivious to the slogan’s implications; Molly and Frizzle hop aboard for what they believe will be a great adventure.
If that slogan seems a bit dire for a family-friendly comedy, the film’s title is significantly worse ... and the scripters — Karey Kirkpatrick, John O’Farrell and Rachel Tunnard, assisted by seven (!) more credited writers — also don’t shy away from depicting that consequence. (Remember, the Brits gave us Roald Dahl. They have faith in a youngster’s appetite for gruesome touches.)
Realizing full well where their daughter has gone, Ginger and Rocky organize a rescue with friends Babs (Jane Horrocks), Bunty (Imelda Staunton), Mac (Lynn Ferguson) and Fowler (David Bradley). Once Nick and Fletcher realize their “beloved god-daughter” is in danger, they join the crew.
But a closer examination of Funland Farms makes their undertaking seem hopeless; the place is an enormous poultry processing plant laden with human guards, advanced security measures and laser-wielding robots.
Inside, however, Molly and Frizzle find themselves in an amusement paradise laden with rides, games and all the food one could desire (also a plot point in Migration, although this film went into production first).
Odd, though, that all the other chickens wear numbered electronic collars...
Although what must follow is obvious, I was surprised — at this point — to be barely half an hour into this 101-minute film. Would director Sam Fell and his legion of writers be able to sustain suspense and comedy?
Silly question. Fell previously helmed 2008’s The Tale of Despereaux and 2012’s ParaNorman, among others, and Aardman veterans Nick Park and Peter Lord obviously kept a careful watch throughout this new film’s six years (!) of production.
A clever touch reverses the events of Chicken Run. That time, Ginger and Rocky labored to break out of a chicken farm; this time, they face the far more formidable challenge of breaking into one. The Mission: Impossible-style touches are deliberate, with each obstacle and setback requiring fresh ingenuity.
The tension builds with the introduction of each new villain: first crafty Funland scientist Dr. Fry (Nick Mohammed); then businessman Reginald Smith (Peter Serafinowicz), representing the Sir Eat-A-Lot family restaurant chain; and finally — horrors! — a familiar and terrifyingly nasty face from the past.
It all works because we’re emotionally invested in these finely sculpted characters, thanks both to the excellent voice talent, and the degree to which Claymation creations seem ... well ... genuinely alive, even when exaggerated for comedic effect.
Rocky is bold and fearless, but rash; Ginger is a planner, more cautious and thoughtful. The Scottish Mac is a nerdy inventor with a flair for improvisation; Babs is a dim-bulb chatterbox who knits up a storm when stressed out. Fowler is an elderly rooster and former RAF mascot, with fond memories of long-ago skirmishes; the cynical Bunty, a former champion egg-layer, fears that everything will go wrong.
The core plot aside, every scene is laden with sight gags and all manner of delightful touches; one cannot help being amazed by the degree of detail, and the painstaking manner in which such a film is created. (Netflix also has a must-see 20-minute companion documentary, The Making of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, but watch it after the film, because it contains spoilers.)
Harry Gregson-Williams contributes the lively orchestral score, which — thanks also to editor Stephen Perkins — enhances the film’s breathless pacing.
Getting even one sensational animated feature is rare enough during the holiday season; being gifted with a second is unprecedented.
It’s also nice to see that the Aardman folks haven’t lost their touch (as if that could ever happen).
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