Penguin villain Feathers McGraw returns to torment the animated duo in Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. Creator Nick Park once again displays likeable energy and appeal for kids along with adults who enjoy slipping into a whimsical fantasy world. Maintaining the quality and wit that won the franchise an animated feature Oscar for Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005, Vengeance Most Fowl uses stop motion expertise to create a visually clever world for its cheese loving inventor and his loyal pooch, this time putting in some digs at technology. Co-writers Park and Mark Burton have Wallace transform a garden gnome into a household robot for--as the authors put it—gnome improvement chores. But of course, plans go awry, and it turns out those pointy-hatted little guys can look almost as scary as a Stephen King clown. The terror happens after tampering by the vindictive Feathers—a.k.a. the title’s “fowl,” known for disguising himself as a chicken by sporting a red rubber glove on his head. Park, co-directing with Merlin Crossingham, coordinates detailed action including using hordes of gnomebots to march along in the idyllic English village sites used throughout the franchise. A treat for the eyes, along with clever conceits and a few bad puns lets Vengeance Most Fowl bask in the sweet smell of success.
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