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A scoundrel from Wallace and Gromit's past resurfaces in "Vengeance Most Fowl," causing fresh trouble for the eccentric English inventor and his underappreciated canine. As the spiffy sequel's play-on-word title implies, the culprit is none other than Feathers McGraw, that diamond-thieving master of disguise last seen in 1993's Oscar-winning short "The Wrong Trousers," who seizes on another of Wallace's inventions to engineer his escape from the local zoo in the stop-motion duo's second feature in as many decades.
Watching Wallace and Gromit, you get the sense that the pair's life is quite bland -- as if they've passed the last 16 years (that's how long it's been since "A Matter of Loaf and Death") enjoying a low-key routine of cheese and toast from the comfort of their home at 62 West Wallaby St. A little commotion could do them good, and while it's clear that director Nick Park and co-helmer Merlin Crossingham are stretching things to hit the 79-minute mark, it's a delight to find these two, plus their penguin nemesis, back on the big screen (though most will see it either on BBC this Christmas or streaming on Netflix early next year).
When it comes to sequels, a clear advantage of animation is that time can stand still between installments, allowing Aardman to pick up right where we left these characters -- unless, of course, it serves the material to watch them grow up, à la "Toy Story" or "Inside Out." The technology improves, making everyone's work a bit easier, but the studio needn't worry about its stars aging, the way other '80s favorites like Indiana Jones and Axel Foley have in recent follow-ups. Fortunately, Park remains committed to the lo-fi, hand-crafted feel of his characters, employing a bit of CGI, but otherwise sticking to the same endearingly jerky aesthetic, so key to the comic timing.
Once again, Wallace (voiced by Ben Whitehead since Peter Sallis' passing) and Gromit (mute as ever) behave like an old married couple, which is what made "The Wrong Trousers" so satisfying. It got to the emotional heart of the dynamic between the daffy bachelor and his taken-for-granted pet. The fact that Gromit can't speak allows Wallace to blithely ignore how his companion is doing. When Feathers appeared, the lodger immediately put a strain on their relationship, demoting Gromit to the doghouse as he planned his big heist. (Subsequent installments have played on similar threats, often in the form of questionable romantic prospects.)
In each case, the lesson is the same: Wallace relies on Gromit far more than he realizes. For all Wallace's tinkering, devices meant to streamline his life wouldn't be much use without Gromit pulling the levers at just the right moment. And so it is with Norbot, a voice-activated, AI-driven garden gnome whom Wallace introduces with the intention of assisting Gromit around the garden. Straight out of the box, the gadget overhauls the landscaping and all but amputates Gromit's paws.
As performed by Reece Shearsmith, this Nifty Odd-Jobbing Robot makes a cute, "cutting-hedge" addition to the Aardman universe. He isn't the first gnome to appear there -- kitschy kin have made cameos as lawn ornaments in "A Close Shave" and "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" -- but he's the first to factor so prominently. With his rosy cheeks and dementedly happy grin, Norbot immediately rubs Gromit wrong. The poor dog is right to be suspicious, since it's clear that this latest creation is more powerful than Wallace knows -- and can be easily hacked by a certain jailbird, who still wants that blue diamond.
As anyone familiar with "The Wrong Trousers" can tell you, Feathers ranks among the most amusing antagonists in animation history, owing to the sheer simplicity of his penguin design. He was essentially a black-and-white bowling pin with beady eyes and flippers, who could disguise himself as a chicken by sticking a red rubber glove on his head. Feathers made for a patently absurd -- but still effective -- antagonist, since you could read all kinds of menace into his stare (aided by the appropriate strings on the soundtrack).
One of Park's signatures has been his affection for classic film genres, which tips toward Ealing territory with its off-kilter comedy. Though Feathers began as a Hitchcockian villain all those years ago, in this incarnation, he evokes a criminal mastermind like Hannibal Lecter, who was no less intimidating behind bars. Even minimalist gestures look humorously malicious, whether that involves shaving with a popsicle stick or stroking a white seal pup. Frankly, it's a shame we don't see more of Feathers early on. Instead, our attention is focused on Norbot, whom the sinister penguin reprograms to "evil mode" from the clink.
It's a strange coincidence that Aardman should introduce an AI helper the year DreamWorks released "The Wild Robot," which packs an emotional dimension this film lacks. At Feathers' instruction, Norbot builds an army of gnome clones, but their existence doesn't threaten the bond between Wallace and Gromit so much as it does Wallace's other passion: inventing. Those are very different stakes, as police inspector Mackintosh (Peter Kay, returning from "Were-Rabbit") and rookie Mukherjee (Lauren Patel) confiscate all of Wallace's gear.
Compared with the last few Aardman features, "Vengeance Most Fowl" feels more contained, which is ultimately a good thing -- a lesson learned from "Were-Rabbit," which risked becoming unwieldy as its ensemble grew. The film is full of references to previous adventures, from Gromit's familiar red motorbike to the "Mission: Impossible"-style finale, which upgrades from a toy train in Wallace's living room to the real deal. That's all good for a laugh, though some of us have spent so long waiting for a reunion, this pun-powered lark feels a bit slight. Perhaps that's a fault of having too-high expectations, but as no less a wit than Emily Dickinson put it, "Hope is the thing with Feathers."
