Starring: Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Chris Morrell, Andy Nyman, Kate Harbour
Distributor: StudioCanal
Runtime: 86 mins. Reviewed in Jan 2020
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Do you enjoy Shaun the Sheep? He is Aardman Studios gift to younger audiences – but not excluding older audiences. Shaun first appeared alongside those favourite Aardman Studios characters (Britain’s gift to the world of cinema animation), Wallace and Gromit. He then had his own television series and, several years ago, his first feature film. Here he is again.
Shaun lives at Mossy Bottom Farm along with the rest of the sheep. They seem to have a happy life although they frequently get up to mischief, especially Shaun, and are continually under the disciplinary scrutiny of the farm dog, Bitzer Bitzer is into restrictions, putting up forbidding signs all over the place. The farmer is preoccupied with his tractor. So, the setting is familiar. However, the Aardman writers must have a very soft spot for ET. Many of the younger audiences may not have seen ET (who, in fact, it is almost 40 years old) yet will recognise the story of a spaceship arriving on earth (a mini Close Encounter) and an attractive little creature, Lu-La, is stranded on earth, and, of course, wants to go home.
Shaun discovers Lu-La, who has a penchant for pizza, and so begins a whole lot of comic adventures. This is not a comedy of words but of situations, suggestions, hum’s and ha’s, gestures. After some initial hesitation, Bitzer, of course, will do his bit to help things along. The farmer is more practical and pragmatic and decides to turn his property into a theme park, with the enjoyable title Farmageddon. It is, of course, not quite the end of the world.
But, it could be for Lu-La. A government agent, severe in appearance and attitude, Miss Red, with her assistant robot, is determined, more than determined, to hunt down the alien. It seemed she had some unpleasant experiences in her childhood with another close encounter a relentless mission.
Comedy, adventures, dangers in the theme park, rescues, Lu-La’s parents, plenty of ingredients to keep a young audience very happy – not to forget some mayhem in a supermarket. Some travel in space.
But, what about the adults, especially those who have fond memories of Wallace and Gromit? There are enough sight gags throughout the film to make it enjoyable. There are plenty of references to other movies and science-fiction themes. While the children might be laughing out loud, many parents and grandparents will be having a gleeful chuckle.
Peter Malone MSC is an Associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting.
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