Wallace and Gromit and the case of the Were-Rabbit

The dead carrot sketch?

WALLACE AND GROMIT AND THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT

Dreamworks / Aardman

Cert. U

Our beloved plasticine characters, Wallace and Gromit, run a security company offering protection for the produce of wanna-be-prize-winners at the upcoming vegetable growers competition at Tottington Hall.

The carrots and cauliflowers are under threat from a plague of voracious rabbits. The opening scenes depicting the moonlit back-gardens of the northern town have a beauty and mystery which raises the audience’s expectations. At one level this latest offering from Nick Park (with Steve Box) is vintage Wallace & Gromit. There are the Heath-Robinson machines, plenty of jokes verbal and visual, warnings about science gone awry, and about placing too much trust in human nature, with a few Christian allusions and sermon illustrations come to life thrown in for good measure. Oh, and of course there are references to other films — this time, especially, King Kong.

However, although it is enjoyable I came away disappointed. In a full-length film, cartoon or otherwise, you look for a bit more development of character. But this was missing. Furthermore, whereas previous Wallace & Gromit offerings gave us stories which moved from A to B, often involving a definite rescue, the somewhat complicated plot of the Were-Rabbit really ends up where it started.

Any message?

The message almost could be, ‘This is a chaotic world, which we cannot sort out, so you might as well accept it as it is.’ It was good fun, but nothing much to get your teeth into. The accompanying short film of the Madagascar Penguins and their Christmas caper did the business rather better.