Preview Movie Review

Shaun the Sheep Movie
PG
Entertainment: +3
Acceptability: +2

Animated comedy adventure from StudioCanal and the folks who gave us Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit.

FILM SYNOPSIS: When Shaun decides to take the day off and have some fun, he gets a little more action than he bargained for. A mix up with the Farmer, a caravan and a very steep hill lead them all to the Big City and it's up to Shaun and the flock to return everyone safely to the green grass of home.

PREVIEW REVIEW: Though heavy with slapstick and barnyard humor, I consider it a thinking kid’s cartoon (they follow a storyline sans conventional dialogue). Spun off from a Wallace and Gromit short, this stop-motion Claymation concept has met with some success as a TV series and straight-to-video films. But while Chicken Run (also by its creator Aardman) was witty to both kids and adults alike, Shaun the Sheep offers little for those over the age of tyke-hood.

That said, it’s amusing, but I think adults will find it more charming that funny.

DVD Alternative: Chicken Run. From the people who gave us the Wallace and Gromit shorts comes a claymation comedy set on a chicken farm where a flock of hens is determined to fly the coop before meeting a fowl fate. The expressive faces (chickens with teeth – is that great?), the pacing, adventure and witty dialogue make for a fun family film.

Preview Reviewer: Phil Boatwright
Distributor: StudioCanal

Summary
Crude Language: Some crude humor, nose picking, farting, belching, butt exposure, that sort of thing.
Obscene Language: None
Profanity: None
Violence: Cartoonish action I think suitable for little ones.
Sexual Intercourse: None
Nudity: None
Homosexual Conduct: None
Sexually Suggestive Action/Dialog: None
Drug Abuse: None
Other: None
Running Time: 85 minutes
Intended Audience: Little ones and loving parents or harassed older siblings