Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom: Movie Review
Director: Steve Cox, Matthew Walker
Whether it's paying homage to countless horror films or dissing the Wombles, the latest Shaun the Sheep movie is a delight that ewe'll struggle not to laugh at.
The third outing for the loveable sheep on the big screen sees the woolly gang taking on Halloween after the last film Farmageddon saw aliens come to Mossy Bottom.
This time though, when an accident destroys the secret vegetable patch Shaun's been cultivating for the Halloween season, he turns to science to get Tiny the pumpkin he wants. But when he creates a grow-fast formula for the veg, he stores it in a bottle marked Hair Growth, which is inadvertently used by the Farmer, who's smitten with the local vet (Nina Sosanya).
Mistakenly using it, the Farmer transforms into a Bigfoot-like creature, terrifying the locals and also Shaun who realises he has to correct his mistake before it's too late.
There's no denying the inventiveness of Aardman Animations in this clever, family friendly escapade that packs in more in its 80 minutes than some films manage in nearly 2 hours.
It helps that no visual sight gag is off-limits. Whether it's apeing the Simpsons' most famous meme, paying homage to Frankenstein or The 40 Year Old Virgin, or making casual observations about cats or seeing Bitzer take out his own faeces in a plastic bag from his doghouse, via Thriller gags, a throwaway Psycho moment that substitutes strings for floss, every ounce of visual flair is poured onto the screen for maximum effect.
The end result is that Shaun the Sheep continues to carry the mantle which Aardman's been flying for some 50 years now and while he may be cruelly sidelined by Wallace and Gromit, the truth is that Shaun has one hoof squarely planted in humour throughout.
The British sense of humour is firmly on the silly side here, but there's a tender love story between the Farmer and the vet that's universal and the bond between dog and owner is one played for heart too.
Cleverly distinctive, uniquely crafted and lovingly played out, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is perfect family fare and a sign that the inventive chaps at Aardman still have plenty of life left in them.
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