Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget – Irresistibly Charming Animation

Besides their flagship Wallace and Gromit franchise, what truly put Aardman Animations on the map was their first feature film, 2000’s beloved Chicken Run. Undeniable masters at stop-motion animation, it has left a large imprint on countless generations who have grown up with the film. Branching out with more films and franchises over the years, they’ve come back to the world of their first feature with Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. That being said, it has been 20+ years since the original so the next logical question is why now if not why at all? After so much time, the film is certainly going to feel different. The lack of the original voice cast is going to stick out for better or worse but for the most part, it still very much captures the same level of endearing cuteness and charm to help make up for some hit or miss material and humor. At the end of the day, while it may not have the same spark of the original film, it is still an entertaining watch for families looking for something to stream this holiday season. A subgenre of animation that isn’t implemented nearly as much as it used to, the film definitely hits in the spot in nostalgia factor and as a nice way to introduce stop-motion to younger audiences who may not be familiar with it.

Set after the harrowing escape from the original film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget sees Ginger (Newton), Rocky (Levi), and the rest of their flock have taken refuge in a private island sanctuary far from the human world where they have since built a thriving community. Each hatching a girl named Molly (Ramsey), Ginger believed she was finally living her dream. Putting that dream and her flock’s sheltered life in jeopardy was the news of mainland chicken kind under threat by an unknown sinister force. Trying to move on from the trauma of her past meant fighting against her better nature and keeping her and Rocky’s past a secret from Holly. However, something clearly had to give as Ginger, Rocky, and the rest of their flock, as well as a pair of friendly rats, soon found themselves on the mainland pursuing yet another crusade into the human world as opposed to escaping like they did before. While, this new obstacle proved to be one that was more elaborate and daunting than they ever expected though as far as Ginger, Rocky, and co. were concerned, there is no obstacle this resilient flock couldn’t overcome.

Escape was a much different challenge than infiltration and the chicken farm turned facility they were faced with did not make it easy for the flock. Featuring a comically-advanced security system, it would take every ounce of their cunning and determination to evade it and enter though that was only the beginning. This facility had an outside-the-box approach when it came to wrangling their chickens. Their goal was to find a way to counter a chicken’s natural impulses in order to create a better product being a superior nugget. The way they went about doing it was as ridiculous as their security system, keeping them calm and under control in a seemingly innocuous enclosed space. In the end, the key was for the flock to find a way to disrupt the fantasy world the wrangled chickens found themselves trapped in and stop a familiar face in the middle of all of it. A full circle moment, the story that started in the original all comes together in a satisfying way in the process. While predictable by design, the climax was no less exciting to watch as Ginger, Rocky, and co. ultimately took charge and freed yet another flock of captive chickens.

As mentioned, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget may ring different 20+ years later but its endearing cuteness and charm still go a long way in creating a warm hug of a film in spite of some slight humor and narrative issues. One of the leaders in stop-motion animation, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Aardman delivers once again. While bright, colorful, and more elaborate than the original film, advancements in technology have undoubtedly helped and the undertaking in creating a vibrant world full of characters, with large numbers often appearing in scenes together. The contrast between chickens and human characters and their respective environments made for an engaging dynamic, transitioning from the chicken island to the ensuing mainland adventure. Meanwhile, the predominantly different voice cast do a decent job at capturing the spirit of the original film. However, there are still a few who stand out for different reason. Though recasting Ginger and Rocky is a choice that may be baffling for some, the latter is the most blatant as Levi brings the polar opposite energy as Mel Gibson’s performance in the original. David Bradley as Fowler stands out as the comic relief while Ramsey is easily the best of the bunch as Molly.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is an effortlessly cute animated feature that lacks the spark of the original but its charm is hard to resist.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.