Few animated icons can say they have the widespread international appeal of Wallace and Gromit. The practical mascots of the stop-motion legends at Aardman Animation, the Wallace & Gromit series has endured for decades, and for good reason. The lighthearted adventures of a happy-go-lucky inventor and his faithful mute canine companion have captured the hearts of several generations, be it through beloved shorts like The Wrong Trousers or acclaimed feature films like The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

Throughout its long and prestigious career, Aardman has seen its fair share of challenges, ranging from production fires to clay shortages to the passing of Wallace’s long-time voice actor, Peter Sallis. Throughout all these challenges, however, Aardman has persisted, and creator Nick Park is here once again to bring the adored franchise back with the new Netflix feature film, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Despite it being nearly 20 years since their last feature-length adventure, Wallace and Gromit fill their roles in Vengeance Most Fowl as if they never left.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl continues to depict Wallace (now voiced by Ben Whitehead) as a well-meaning if not overly ambitious inventor. Amid bills piling up and growing concern from his best friend Gromit that he’s becoming too reliant on technology, Wallace creates a new revolutionary gadget with Norbot the Smart Gnome (Reece Shearsmith), the ultimate gardening robot. However, things go awry when a feathery foe from Wallace and Gromit’s past decides to plan his revenge and take what he sees as rightfully his.

‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ Stars a Consistently Lovable Cast of Characters

The entire cast of characters in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl are as entertaining, funny, and lovable as they’ve ever been. Ben Whitehead continues to fit right in as the full-time voice of Wallace, being virtually indistinguishable from Peter Sallis’ genuinely iconic portrayal. Where even the most skilled sound-alikes can occasionally struggle to capture every tone and vocal mannerism of their predecessor, Whitehead effortlessly manages to exemplify the cheese and crackers-fueled charisma of Wallace perfectly.

Any Wallace & Gromit fan probably already knows that, whenever Wallace makes a mess, Gromit is there to clean it up. The trusty and loyal canine continues to be one of the best silent protagonists in animation history. Despite not uttering a single word of dialogue, at no point will audiences not understand what Gromit has going on in his head. Accomplishing that feat alone is more than enough evidence for a successful silent character.

Related Wallace & Gromit Are Back in New Funko Pop! Figures Find out how to get your hands on Wallace, Gromit, and even Feathers McGraw.

However, the real scene-stealer of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is, fittingly enough, master thief Feathers McGraw — the fan-favorite antagonist that was first introduced in The Wrong Trousers. With an even more basic design than Gromit, this penguin master of disguise has even less to work with, and yet, he’s still just as compelling and hysterical a character, if not more so. The film’s brilliant decision to portray McGraw as an intimidating villain makes the already funny idea of an evil penguin even more entertaining.

The only character I’m a bit more split on is the key new addition to the cast — Norbot the Smart Gnome. Norbot has some standout moments and gets quite a few laughs, but wow. This little dude is creepy! This isn’t anything new for Aardman, as they are well-known for having scary imagery in their films and shorts (that robot dog from A Close Shave still haunts my nightmares), but it’s still worth noting if you don’t want your younger ones to wake up in the middle of the night because of a robot gnome.

Aardman’s Visual Storytelling Continues to Stun in ‘Vengeance Most Fowl’
Image via Netflix

Gromit and Feather McGraw are just two examples of Vengeance Most Fowl’s biggest strength — visual storytelling. It’s something that Aardman has always excelled at with projects like Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep, and it’s just as solid here. There are huge stretches of Vengeance Most Fowl that don’t have anything even remotely resembling dialogue that still have the clarity and cohesiveness of a masterful silent film.

Legendary silent films, such as the works of Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton, are apt comparisons here, as Vengeance Most Fowl is a comedy through and through. Compared to something that’s driven more by a twisty narrative like The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Vengeance Most Fowl is more focused on keeping fans guessing through its sneaky puns and clever gags. Still, not every joke sticks the landing, as some of them are very specific to the film’s home country of the United Kingdom, such as a reference to British comedians, Ant & Dec.

‘Vengeance Most Fowl’ Consistently Pays Tribute to ‘Wallace & Gromit’s History

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a somewhat unique entry into the series. Where most of Wallace & Gromit’s tales can be watched completely independently without watching anything else that came before. Vengeance Most Fowl is a more direct sequel to The Wrong Trousers, which is something of a double-edged sword. While it’s jam-packed with nods and references that long-time fans will love, it also relies on those callbacks a bit too often. Vengeance Most Fowl can still be thoroughly enjoyed without having previously seen a Wallace & Gromit adventure, it just may feel like you’re missing out on some inside jokes.

The overall theme and message of Vengeance Most Fowl also get a little bit messy as the film unfolds. The movie seems to be trying to say something about humanity’s reliance on technology and the negative outcomes it has. It’s a compelling and culturally relevant theme that sadly grows more and more muddled, with the final takeaway almost being “advanced AI and technology are problematic, but only sometimes.”

From a technical level, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl sees Aardman Animation at the top of their game. The timeless style, the gorgeous animation, and the impeccable music make Wallace & Gromit’s second feature film a gleeful experience from start to finish. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or do something particularly bold and unique like The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, but it also isn’t really trying to. This is a straightforward family-friendly adventure that is simply effective and effectively simple.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl As is fitting for Aardman’s golden goose, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is both crackers and cheesy in all the right ways.ProsFeathers McGraw is a masterclass in comedic villains.Wallace & Gromit continue to be animation’s most lovable duo.Aardman continues to be industry leaders in stellar stop-motion animation. ConsRelies a bit too much on the franchise’s nostalgia.The film’s themes on technology don’t come together cohesively.

Release Date October 27, 2024 Director Merlin Crossingham , Nick Park Cast Ben Whitehead , Garth Jennings , Reece Shearsmith , Peter Kay , Maya Sondhi , Diane Morgan , Lenny Henry , Adjoa Andoh , Muzz Khan , Lauren Patel Runtime 70 Minutes Writers Mark Burton , Nick Park

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl premieres on Netflix on January 3rd, 2024.

Watch on Netflix