Culture news After almost 20 years of absence, this legendary animated film returns for a sequel that seems to make everyone agree
Published on 10/29/2024 at 07:30
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This iconic duo from a world of plasticine is back, but not in the cinema… The two sidekicks, known for being great cheese eaters, return 20 years after the last film in the saga. This return is an opportunity to see a villain, well known to fans of the franchise. From the world premiere, the press was unanimous: it’s a very good film!
December 25 on the BBC, and from January 3, 2025 on Netflix, the Aardman studio invites you to discover this winter: “Wallace and Gromit: The Palm of Vengeance”. Directed by Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, the film was presented this October 27 at the American Film Institute festival as part of a world premiere. This first viewing met with consensus among the journalists who attended it, with critics rating it well above average.
Hollywood may be in an endless era of remakes, reboots, and prequels, but what Park and co-director Merlin Crossingham understand is that there’s a formula you don’t mess with. The level of detail, the “handmade” and the British touch are the hallmarks of the franchise, and no fan wants to see anything different; they want to see more and the best. – Tori Brazier, at Metro.co.uk who gives the film a 5/5 rating.
A nice end of year gift
You probably know Aardman, the studio behind “Shaun the Sheep” and “Chicken Run”. For the return of Wallace and Gromit, Nick Park, the creator of the franchise, offers spectators a story that echoes current concerns about new technological advancesparticularly those concerning artificial intelligence. In the “Palm of Vengeance”, Wallace uncovered a new invention: Norbot, an intelligent gnome who dangerously develops his own free will. Problem: Norbot is accused of causing trouble in town, Wallace could well be held responsible for that. At the same time, Gromit investigates the real culprit of these crimes, and it turns out that it is none other than Feathers MacGraw, a penguin who appeared in the 1993 short film, a work which also earned a BAFTA at his studio.
They are good pasta
The strong points of Aardman’s projects are its endearing characters who, even when they are mute, manage to convey emotions, make the audience laugh and touch their hearts. If the British studio team won three Oscars, two for short films (1994 and 1996) and one for a film (2006), it is thanks to the meticulousness of their work. We’re still talking about 65,000 hours of stop-motion filming with the plasticine elements to arrive at 35 minutes of film! Beyond the short and feature film projects, Wallace and Gromit is also books and games! Wallace & Gromit in Project Zoo, a 3D platformer released on Gamecube, Xbox and PS2, and The Great Adventures of Wallace & Gromit, a narrative point-and-click, have the merit of existing!
