★★★★
When an alien with amazing powers crash-lands near Mossy Bottom Farm, Shaun the Sheep goes on a mission to shepherd the intergalactic visitor home before a sinister organization can capture her.
Classification: U
An adorable and delightful adventure as Farmageddon is another home run for Aardman Animations, with their sequel to their 2015 Shaun the Sheep Movie continuing the traditions of heart and hilarity. The titular sheep, Shaun continues his hijinks on Mossy Bottom Farm with his Ovine friends to the annoyance of sheepdog Bitzer but when the appearance of a mysterious alien Lu-La disrupts the farm, Shaun goes on an adventure to help the creature get home. Aardman craft a simple story for the audience to follow with plenty of comedy and action involving all manner of science fiction and sheep antics. The signature rich detail of the film's stop motion animation allows for a great atmosphere juxtaposing a small British village against aliens, robots and ominous forces.
The most impressive element to Farmageddon is in its non-verbal storytelling as the characters are reliant on specific grunts, mutterings, or bleets along with visual cues and gestures. Ironically the film is able to say so much through this technique as the story is never bogged down by unnecessary exposition or filler and the emotional moments hit much harder because of the emotion conveyed through the animation. There is a depth given to every character, from Shaun to the small robot henchman of the villain giving the outlandish comedy affecting grounding to connect to the audience. The film isn't a just series of ridiculous animated action sequences where Shaun causes havoc but a sweet and powerful simple story about trying to get home and the wacky comedy doesn't detract from the importance of its message.
The similarities to other science fiction stories are apparent and intentional as Aardman's filmmaker's cram Shaun's latest adventure with as many science fiction references as they can. Ranging from direct connections to E.T and 2001: A Space Oddessey, to more obscure visual gags and puns on street signs or newspapers, there is something for everyone no matter your knowledge of the genre. The main treat to Shaun the Sheep is the comedy and action in Farmageddon as the sequences range from heroic to ludicrous with Lu-La's telekinetic abilities allowing for all forms of creative misbehaviour. While the film has continuously theme of avoiding detection or captures, each sequence is able to make that goal more creative and fun as it raises the stakes by injecting more emotion into the characters' motivations. From Lu-La recklessly driving a combine harvester to create a crop circle, the evil organisation beliving the dog Bitzer is an alien, or a spaceship beaming an angry bull into a literal china shop, there is an embarrassment of comedy riches to be had with this film.
Creative and with oodles of charm, Shaun's return is an adventure perfect for audiences of all ages. Farmageddon may tap into clichés within its genre through how it tells the story of a lost alien and the quest Shaun and Bitzer undertake to help it but has enough of the Aardman spirit to stand on its own. Its a celebration of their talent and their love not only for their characters but for all things science fiction and if androids were ever to dream of electric sheep may they all be as entertaining as Shaun
Director: #WillBecher and #RichardPhelan
Release Date: October 18th 2019
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
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