Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit has action, romance, suspense, comedy and, of course, a claymation were-rabbit. Though the premise of the movie is slightly ridiculous-an experiment to alter the mental state of a group of rabbits yields a giant vegetable-destroying monster-and the resolution is questionable, the rest of the story is surprisingly well told. You’ll definitely laugh and you just might cry, but you will certainly enjoy yourself.
Wallace and Gromit are the protagonists of a series of Oscar-winning shorts created by Nick Park. Wallace is a bumbling inventor with a mind like Rube Goldberg’s who uses his ingenuity to get himself and Gromit, his silent, oft-exasperated dog, into various zany adventures. The shorts and now the feature-length movie are done in old-fashioned claymation, which makes for some bizarre-looking characters but also results in occasionally breathtaking visuals. Though it may not be as versatile as the too-perfect computer animation to which modern viewers are accustomed, small discrepancies in the clay, like the occasional fingerprint on Gromit’s nose, add to one’s appreciation of the artistry involved.
Though sight gags and puns don’t often make for good comedy these days, Were-Rabbit manages to make them consistently funny. The movie is targeted at children, but it does a good job of being universally entertaining, even including a few suggestive puns for older audiences. There are some jokes referencing the shorts that only die-hard fans would understand, but these are so few and far between that they don’t take away from the movie. Besides, the shorts are good enough to seek out on their own merit.
The movie offers a wider cast of characters than the shorts. The villagers plagued by this were-rabbit provide comic relief with their panicky mob mentality and love for giant vegetables, but there are a few characters who prove truly interesting. Hunter Lord Quartermaine and his mangy dog make the perfect foils for the protagonists, standing in sharp contrast to Wallace and Gromit’s humane pest control. Romantic interest Lady Tottington, for whose hand Wallace must battle Lord Quartermaine, also provides greater depth for the plot. Even in this somewhat silly environment, these characters demonstrate some moral fiber and allow themes of non-violence and love-conquering-all to take root.
Were-Rabbit has suspenseful scenes comparable to those of Jaws, comedic and romantic scenes comparable to Shrek and visual effects more clever than anything seen in either. Overall, the movie proves to be a very well-rounded and thoroughly entertaining story that is satisfying to both old fans and newcomers alike.
