In the 1990s, a gullible British inventor and his clever beagle, who always helps his master out of trouble, also caused an international sensation. The always somewhat absurd and absurd adventures of Wallace and Gromit were created using the so-called “claymation” technique, in which the figures made from plasticine had to be slightly changed for each individual image and a fluid movement. The incredibly complex and time-consuming process became something of a trademark of the British production company Aardman Animations and helped “Wallace & Gromit” creator Nick Park get a real career boost, who then went on to produce the successful full-length animated films “Chicken Run” (2000) and “Wallace & Gromit – On the Hunt for the Giant Rabbit” (2005).
The latter was even awarded the Oscar for Best Animated Film. However, after another short film and a British BBC series that aired in 2010, things have become quiet about Wallace and Gromit. Until now. After Netflix started a collaboration with Aardman Animations a few years ago and released the long-awaited sequel “Chicken Run 2: Operation Nugget” in December 2023, the streaming provider is now on board “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance with Wings” another full-length animated adventure under the experienced direction of Nick Park is launching exclusively. The plot is directly linked to the Oscar-winning short film “Wallace & Gromit: The Techno Pants” from 1993, but while fans will certainly have fun, the late sequel has lost some of the original, visibly handmade charm.
With his new invention, Wallace hopes for fame and fortune. But a well-known penguin will thwart his plans…
After the failed theft of the blue diamond, the shady penguin Feathers McGraw ended up behind bars (read: in the zoo). Wallace (German voice as ever: Peter Kirchberger) and his best friend Gromit are celebrated as heroes because they played a key role in catching the strange bird who had previously briefly moved in with them as a lodger. Since Wallace is still short of money, he hopes that his new invention will be a success. In fact, the eager garden gnome robot Norbot turns out to be a big seller after a well-received television appearance – only the sinister penguin has secretly reprogrammed the willing household helper from his cage. The hard-working garden helper is supposed to organize his escape and another diamond theft…
Much the same as ever
Anyone who knows the short film adventures from the nineties will quickly feel at home in “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance with Wings”. For example, Wallace has now further perfected his automated morning routine with numerous (more or less useful) inventions: the process from tipping out of bed to taking a bath in the tub to automated getting dressed and smearing jam on bread at the breakfast table is still running more sophisticated. Additionally, the penguin is still mistaken for a chicken in mugshots because of a red rubber glove on his head.
And as in the earlier articles in the series, the four-legged friend Gromit, who is quickly jealous of the new garden robot, repeatedly browses explicit dog literature, for example by author Virginia Woof. The two authors drive, especially in the first third of the film Nick Park and Mark Burton (“Shaun the Sheep: The Movie”) come up with a number of such pointed name and language jokes, which can also be found in the German dubbing, for example when there is talk of energetic “domestic dwarves”.
After being reprogrammed, the cheerful garden gnome Norbot turns into a clever diamond thief.
However, after Norbot was reprogrammed and created an entire army of evil garden gnomes with creepy eyes who plundered the gardens of interested customers, the film increasingly tilts into a very child-friendly, downright naive and not very original adventure. An unequal police duo consisting of a stupid chief inspector and an over-ambitious young officer or trampling Norbots, who compensate for the missing wheels of a car during a chase, could also have come from an episode in the “Shaun the Sheep” series, for which the production studio Aardman Animations yes also responsible.
The criticism is not only limited to the many gags that are somewhat flat, but also to the further development of stop-motion animation technology that strives too hard for perfection. The charm of “Wallace & Gromit” was actually due to the somewhat jerky and uneven actions of the characters. The backgrounds in particular are sometimes disturbing. They are now much too flat and smooth – which leaves a schizophrenic impression given the scenario set in the 20th century with all its analogue telephones, mechanical devices and CRT monitors. The handmade and sometimes imperfect charm that characterized the slightly jerky “Wallace & Gromit” short films is sometimes lost.
Conclusion: Some punchlines in “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance with Wings” are definitely recognizable and offer pleasing fan service. In addition, the fast-paced animated adventure offers gags that are particularly child-friendly and rarely achieves the charm of the old (short) film adventures.