15th September, 2005
DAVID ADAMS

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (PG)

THE ANTI-PESTO TEAM: Wallace and Gromit deal with troublesome rabbits. PICTURE: Courtesy of DreamWorks Animation © 2005 DreamWorks Animation LLC and DreamWorks LLC. TM & © Aardman Animations, LTD. "The attention to detail is, as ever, astonishing and Park and co-director Steve Box clearly enjoyed flexing their storytelling muscles in a longer format."

In a word (or two): Smashing Gromit!

Oy up chuck! Their faces have become familiar to millions around the world as they’ve tangled with sinister sheep rustlers, flown to the moon in search of cheese and got the better of master criminal Feathers McGraw. Now, for the first time, Nick Park’s claymation creations, the cheese connoisseur Wallace and his long-suffering dog Gromit are starring in their own full feature film - Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Wallace and Gromit seem to have temporarily abandoned their window cleaning business and are now running a pest control company, Anti-Pesto. Their main aim is to protect the town’s vegetables against marauding rabbits in the lead-up to the giant vegetable competition using their wits and, as one would expect of Wallace and Gromit, some amazing contraptions. The story takes a darker turn when a monstrous creature begins to wreak havoc among the villagers’ gardens and Wallace and Grommet set out to capture the creature. There’s plenty of laughs along the way, lots of breath-taking action and even a love interest for Wallace in the form of Lady Campanula Tottington (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter) complete with a jealous suitor - the nasty and poncey nobleman Victor Quartermaine (voiced by Ralph Fiennes). Keep an eye out also for Victor’s purse carrying mutt and a hilarious scene with Gromit on the manor house parapets. The attention to detail is, as ever, astonishing and Park and co-director Steve Box clearly enjoyed flexing their storytelling muscles in a longer format. There are a few scary parts for younger viewers - after all, this is the story of a were-rabbit - but all’s well that ends well in this most English of stories. Expect more to follow. Make sure you catch the Madagascar penguins in a ten minute short which airs before the movie. Now, time for a nice cup of tea and some cheese. Don’t forget the crackers!