TIFF Report: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Review

Posted by Mack at 4:31pm.

Posted in Film News , Comedy, Animation, UK, Ireland, Australia & New Zealand, Toronto Film Festival 2005.

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Waiting years for a full-length feature film starring everyone’s favorite clay duo, the well intended inventor Wallace and his faithful companion Gromit, finally grace the silver screen in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. In what is easily the best stop-animated film at the fest this year Wallace and Gromit engage in a mad-cap adventure to try and stop a mysterious creature from ruining the annual Giant Vegetable Competition.

Protectors of the villiage gardens with their Anti-Pesto animal control company Wallace and Gromit take care of pest problems in a humane manner. Everything is going swimmingly until a hairy terror starts ruining crops. Wallace commits the duo to capturing this menace, much to the chagrin of Victor Quartermaine [Ralph Fiennes], who seeks a much more permanent end to the creature’s terror and also the hand of Lady Tottington [Helena Bonham Carter], the host of the annual competition. Trying to stay one step ahead of Quartermaine and keep a clear head around ‘Totti’, Wallace and his chum embark on an adventure with non-stop laughs, clever twists and more thrills than a backwoods carnival.

Nick Park teams up again with Chicken Run partner Steve Box to bring what I consider to be the best of the stop animation films featured this year at TIFF. Curse of the Were-Rabbit is fathoms better than Corpse Bride. The animation is simpler in form and execution but nothing can beat Gromit’s expressions who can convey full sentences with a single glance. Even those not familiar with W&G will still enjoy the wonderful world that Park and Box have created. And the animators’ incredible attention to detail goes into all aspects of the production, from the characters to the props and backdrops. Nothing is missed and it is fantastic to look at.

Having given slight nods to monster films in past projects Park and Box fully embrace the movie monster genre with this film. They also expand the W&G universe complementing the scope of the picture will a larger supporting cast of hiliarious characters. Animals once again play a key part in the story. This time around the critter of choice is the rabbit [well, duh] and they are a fantastic comedic element to the film. But Curse of the Were Rabbit just does not rely on gimmicks and slapstick to make you laugh. The writing is deft and clever, full of British whit but completely accessible for the North-American audience. If you do not laugh all the way through this movie then it is you and not the script. The audience at this mornings screening was in stiches throughout.

Given a suitable release date in October fully into the Halloween season Curse of the Were Rabbit simply cannot fail to reach all age groups. With enough clever writing for the sharper viewer and stunts and slapstick to appease the laid-back viewer anyone can enjoy this film at whichever level. Curse of the Were Rabbit will not let down long time fans of the cracking duo and should hopefully bring in a few more converts along the way.