Chicken Run

Chicken Run (2000)

Directors: Peter Lord, Nick Park. Cast: Phil Daniels, Lynn Ferguson, Mel Gibson, Miranda Richardson, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton.

This is one of the most delightful and certainly funniest animated feature this side of the millennium.

It may not be the most original story but its take on films like “The great escape”, “Stalag 17″ using chickens (“the most stupid animal in the world”.. I’m obviously quoting the film here… No offence is meant… 😉) trying to run away from their gulag-like farm is inspired to say the least. Nick Park and Peter Lord’s Aardman, behind projects like Wallace & Gromit (and later “Flushed Away” and “Farmageddon”both of which I recommend) hardly get it wrong. As ever their attention to detail in depicting every character (and a great voice cast too, including, surprisingly, Mel Gibson), their ultra-british sense of humour, the various movie references (not just “the great escape” but also films like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” “Braveheart” among many others, both organically integrated within the story) are only some of the elements which make this film absolutely charming. And a short one too (always a plus in my book) which doesn’t outstay its welcome.