The recent announcement that Aardman Animations would be eventually phasing out its stop-motion department (which produced the films that the studio is undeniably most known for) due to the shortage of physical materials needed to make these films came as quite a shock, and while it remains to be seen if this unfortunate turn of events will prove to be the death-knell for a studio known for defining the childhoods of countless viewers, it does mean that every work that they produce going forward will be cherished much more since there is always the potential that it will be the last time we get to witness one of their bespoke, handcrafted masterpieces. Luckily, there was more than enough time and resources to return us to the world of Wallace and Gromit, the hilarious duo consisting of a happy-go-lucky inventor and his profoundly loyal dog, whose pleasant existence in suburban England tends to consistently be interrupted by hilarious misfortunes that keep this dynamic pair consistently on the alert. Their most recent adventure is outlined in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which is the second feature-length film featuring the characters (and the sixth overall production), and which follows our heroes as they encounter a range of obstacles, in this instance, brought about by Wallace’s invention of a mechanical garden gnome initially designed to assist as a household device, but which are quickly corrupted by none other than Feathers McGraw, the despicable supervillain first encountered in The Wrong Trousers, and who makes his triumphant return as the main antagonist of this film, wreaking just as much havoc as he did decades ago. A delightful and entertaining film that reminds us of these brilliant characters, Vengeance Most Fowl is a wonderfully eccentric voyage back into this quaint hamlet, where we once again bear witness to some truly exciting storytelling and boundary-pushing animation, both of which are the product of a truly impeccable group of artists.

Vengeance Most Fowl signals the return to the director’s chair for Nick Park, one of the founders of the studio and the mastermind behind these characters. He is perhaps the most significant figure in contemporary stop-motion animation, so his decision to take the reigns yet again (unlike we saw in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, where he was merely a producer while Sam Fell stood at the helm), proves that these characters will perpetually be his fondest creation, as evident by the fact that he has directed every film featuring these characters to date. He is joined by co-director Merlin Crossingham, the pair working together to create a new story featuring these iconic characters, which is not as easy a task as it seems in theory. Wallace and Gromit are peculiar in that they are borne from both a deep knowledge of slapstick comedy, as well as a specific kind of humour drawn from both common stereotypes and witty wordplay, meaning that unlike some of Aardman’s other creations, such as Shaun the Sheep and to a lesser-extent Chicken Run, it isn’t enough to be solely silent or based on pastiche respectively, but rather have a blend of a range of concepts. There is also so much that can be done with these characters before it feels like it has been done before – so the challenge the directors had here was attempting to create something that was both recognizable in terms of its humour and style, but also original enough to not just be a retreading of existing adventures. Park struck gold two decades ago with Curse of the Were-Rabbit, but logically the same approach could not be taken here. Instead, they aim for something just as compelling, but still quite different. While it isn’t overt, Vengeance Most Fowl is both a homage to true crime documentaries and science fiction, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence. For some, the idea of these characters even coming close to addressing such contemporary subjects may feel like a forced attempt to maintain relevance, but it is surprisingly elegant and subtle, with Park and Crossingham being very aware of maintaining a level of sincerity without needing to betray the essence of the previous works, an approach that unsurprisingly works exceptionally well.

Logically, when working with characters that first made their appearance in the late 1980s, we should expect a few notable changes, both structurally and in terms of the specific approach – and Vengeance Most Fowl features a few new elements, some of which are more noticeable than others, but where none of them diminishes the experience. Perhaps the most notable change comes in the form of the performances – Peter Sallis voiced Wallace for decades, but retired from the role several years ago, and recently passed away. The reigns have been handed over to Ben Whitehead, who has previously played the character in one short film and a range of other projects but is here making his feature-length debut as this character. However, had you not been aware of the change in actors, you would not be able to tell – Whitehead perfectly replicates Wallace’s iconic cheerful voice, with his impeccable command of that delightful Northern accent and upbeat demeanour being the perfect tribute to Sallis, whose legacy is still embedded in this film, albeit from a distance. Unlike the previous cinematic outing for these characters, Vengeance Most Fowl is not overstuffed with recognizable actors in supporting roles and instead focuses on the elements that made Wallace and Gromit such engaging characters in the first place, which is the blend of physical comedy and witty writing, both of which are present here. There are a couple of recognizable supporting parts, but none of them are necessarily big enough to be marketable, and instead, the focus is on the elements that are familiar and consistent. It also means that more attention can be given to the iconic villain, who is entirely silent throughout, and yet still manages to be more well-characterized than a majority of contemporary antagonists, purely because of the way the film develops its characters to be much more than one-dimensional archetypes, and instead unique, complex characters that just so happen to exist in a very simple kind of story.

Vengeance Most Fowl is the perfect embodiment of the well-worn adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” – there were so many different avenues down which Park and Crossingham could have taken these characters, especially in an era where everything has to be bigger and more ambitious than anything that came before. This film does have an arguably larger scope and is a much more modern twist on these characters, but the roots remain firmly implanted in the ground, with the branches being what deviates from the older films, which is essentially the principle that should be followed by every legacy sequel and revival, especially those coming years after our introduction to a set of characters. Park and Crossingham had the challenge of living up to the legacy that has defined generations – and being the creator of these characters is not an immediate indication of quality or consistency, since sometimes those who are closest to the material are the ones most incapable of developing on its ideas or doing something interesting. Yet, this is not a concern, since from the very first moments it is extremely clear that Vengeance Most Fowl not only lives up to the previous works but builds on them in incredible and insightful ways. This is Wallace and Gromit as seen from the 21st-century perspective, but where it doesn’t leave behind the quaint charm of the original period in which it was produced, the balance between the two is one of the most significant merits, since it shows how something so traditional can still resonate with modern audiences, especially those who may have never encountered these characters in the past, but will nonetheless be thoroughly enthralled by the wit and madcap energy that exudes from absolutely every frame of this delightful little comedy.

Whether or not this is the final outing for these iconic characters is not clear – the studio may find new suppliers for the physical materials eventually (and all signs are pointing towards it having a positive outcome), but the more interesting question to ponder is whether this is the appropriate send-off for the duo. For over thirty years, Park and his collaborators have crafted these characters and taken them on several different adventures – and the constant refusal to make any declarative statement, both within this film or outside of it, relating to whether there will be future stories featuring these characters leaves the door open for so many unique possibilities, and we can suspend ourselves in the hopes that one day we’ll see them again. However, even as it stands, Vengeance Most Fowl is a perfect parting letter should Aardman Animations decide to venture into other stories as time progresses (as they should – they’re too creative and innovative to be restricted to only a couple of concepts) and is a terrific addition to the canon of Wallace and Gromit films, which have extended over the decades and generations to become iconic in not only British culture but from a truly global perspective. Beautifully, but never lacking in the raw charm that initially defined these characters, this film is a masterful and entertaining work that pushes boundaries and carries itself with such elegance and grace that, is seemingly impossible to overlook the many merits that drive this film and make it such a thorough delight from start to finish.