"The Chicken Littles That Could"
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What You Need To Know:
CHICKEN RUN is a brilliantly crafted, funny movie filled with many moral elements and witty spoofs. In the tradition of the TOY STORY movies, this movie is equally enjoyable (if not more so) for old as it is for young. Its clever dialogue and exquisite, laborious and beautiful Claymation will amaze the entire family
Content:
(BBB, C, L, V) Moral worldview with many moral elements including prayer, honesty & loyalty; some references to “bum” in the English sense of the word; slapstick, cartoon violence perpetrated against villains, some implied violence, ferocious dogs, & some threats of violence against the chickens; and, nothing else potentially objectionable.
More Detail:
CHICKEN RUN tells the story of a group of hens dedicated to escaping a chicken farm before they get the ax. Drawing upon many classic escape movies and led by a plucky hen named Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha), the group makes numerous attempts to escape their prison. All of their attempts fall short, however, until a “flying rooster” named Rocky (voiced by Mel Gibson), lands on their front coop and promises to help them in their quest.
Rocky is a brash, impulsive, obnoxious, and arrogant American bird. He immediately attracts the attention of the entire clutch, and the hens obey his every word as he takes them through exercises in preparation to fly over the fences that restrain them. In the process, Rocky develops close relationships with Ginger and Fowler, two chickens that had previously doubted his veracity. However, as they stress the importance of the salvation through flying that Rocky offers, Rocky moves through his own moral abyss, knowing full well that he cannot actually fly.
Meanwhile, the farmers, Mrs. Tweedy and her minion Mr. Tweedy, tired of profiting only from the sale of eggs, build an enormous chicken pie-making machine. In the words of Mrs. Tweedy, “Chickens go in, pies come out.” This contraption precipitates the early escape of the hens, and their absolute reliance on Rocky’s capabilities. Rocky must make a choice: stay with the hens and help save them, or shirk away and live the free life. His choice will surprise you.
CHICKEN RUN is a brilliantly crafted, funny movie filled with moral elements and witty spoofs. In the tradition of the TOY STORY movies, this movie is equally enjoyable (if not more so) for old as it is for young. Its clever dialogue and exquisite, laborious and beautiful Claymation will amaze the entire family.
However, this production will have to break a lot of precedents to succeed at the box office. It is a foreign-made movie (British), in a time when Hollywood rules. It is also a non-Disney animation film, which rarely fare well. Even so, if any movie has the chance to take on the big guys, it is this clever and touching piece that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that its creators are no cowards, or, should I say, no chickens.