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The Family Corner

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is rated G. There are a number of bawdy innuendos, some of which may fly over children's heads, including: a police officer says the vegetables disappeared because of "arson—someone arsin' around"; Lady Tottington calls herself "Tottie" (British slang for a sexually attractive person); women hold two round vegetables in front of their bosoms; a vicar reads Nun Pro Wrestling; Gromit poses as a sexy she-rabbit to lure the Were-rabbit; the Were-rabbit pinches Gromit's bum; a man jumps around and flaps his hand after being doused with "Pansy Spray" (it's for the flowers); a naked man wears a cardboard box bearing the label "May contain nuts."

Photos © Copyright DreamWorks Animation

© Peter T. Chattaway 2005, subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

Nick Park, whose beloved claymation characters Wallace and Gromit have won Oscars, has finally fulfilled the dreams of fans by bringing the eccentric inventors to the big screen. And sure enough, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is earning rave reviews from almost everyone. It's earning higher praise than even Aardman Animation's previous feature-length film, Chicken Run. And sure enough, Park looks like the frontrunner for this year's Best Animated Feature honors at the Academy Awards.

Steven D. Greydanus (Decent Films) raves, "Curse of the Were-Rabbit, along with the more mature and genuinely macabre Corpse Bride, represents a creative triumph of artists working in a form of hand-done animation older and clunkier than cel animation, poseable puppets. It's a giddy, soaring success, and a welcome return for two old friends."

David DiCerto (Catholic News Service) says, "Apart from a few 'naughty' jokes that will probably go over the heads of most children, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is recommendable family entertainment."

Tom Neven (Plugged In) calls it "another piece of inspired lunacy. [Park] has given us another film chock-full of groan-inducing puns, wacky wordplay and sight-gags galore. … Park's particular genius is telling terrifically funny stories through stop-motion animation. When you consider that each character is moved in tiny increments to match the film's 24-frames-per-second speed, you marvel all the more at Park's skills."

Mainstream film critics rate the film as one of the year's best.

Andrew Coffin (World) says the film "is delightful from start to finish, introducing some charming new characters to the series and mostly remaining true to the tone of Mr. Park's beloved short films. … The only drawback is the noticeable increase in modestly off-color humor."

Keith Howland (Christian Spotlight) says that "90 minutes does not suit Wallace and Gromit quite as well as 30 minutes. Their earlier adventures were told with considerable thrift, whereas this story seems unnecessarily protracted. Further, in stretching the scenario to feature length, the writers opted to broaden the scope of its humor. … One expects jokes involving double entendre, belching, and underwear from Shrek, not from Wallace and Gromit. … It is as though Wallace and Gromit have lost some of their innocence, and there was never any need for them to lose it."

Warren Kelly (World) says, "There's plenty of excitement and action for the kids, and there are some nods at the parents who bring their kids to see the movie. … If there's a message in this film, it's that violence doesn't always solve problems. Self sacrifice is appreciated. And all good people like fuzzy bunnies. At least, that's what my daughter got out of it."

My own review is up at Looking Closer. Nick Park's film is full of frivolous comical delights, innocent enough for the whole family, but sophisticated enough to make it worthwhile for the most seasoned cinephiles. But fans of the original, shorter Wallace and Gromit films might be a bit disappointed. In the shorts, fast-paced action was balanced with simple, nuanced interplay between the characters. Were-Rabbit pauses occasionally along the way, letting the characters' enchanting personalities glow. But most of the time it's too busy, too eager to amaze and to get us laughing. This stands in sharp contrast to Pixar's films, which are characterized by patient character development and rich storytelling to match their technical wizardry. Here's hoping that if Wallace and Gromit return, they have a stronger, richer storyline.

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