Chicken Run - Review

This was one of my favourite movies growing up and it is still one of my favourite movies of all time. Probably my favourite animated movie ever. The only other films that I can think of that might challenge for that title are Aladdin or any of the Toy Story films, but either way, this is a wonderful movie. The story is about a group of chickens on a farm in England. Fed up with the harsh conditions of their living arrangements and the evil farm owner Mrs. Tweedy, they plan to escape the farm and live in the wild. After many failed attempts, their answer out of the farm might come from an American circus rooster played by Mel Gibson. Together they will work together to escape the farm before they are turned into chicken pies. Not only is the story so simple yet strong, but all the characters have their own distinct personalities and you remember all of them. This movie is almost 20 years old and my dad still quotes many of the jokes, and he hasn't seen this movie since I watched this movie with him on VHS many years ago. With a great group of characters. The animation is also stunning. Just to think that every single movement was created with clay-mation is absolutely fascinating and it looks incredible. There are also some extremely intense moments. So intense, that my cousin watched this movie as a kid and it scarred him for life. He still refuses to give this film another chance. Oh well, his loss. For me, I found these intense moments great. The scene inside the belly of the pie making machine reminds me a ton of an Indiana Jones action scene. Think about it. Everywhere you turn, there is a trap trying to kill you, just like a temple or secret cave in Indiana Jones. Also, the final escape is pretty epic and intense for a kids film. A big reason why is a surprisingly beautiful score. I feel like any composer could have made a fairly generic musical score for a movie about chickens, but you can tell that the composer really put effort into it and it gives the film a great boost. This film really feels like a children's version of The Great Escape, but it feels just as big and epic. Chicken Run tells a simple story but it tells it so well. All the jokes work, the intense moments are awesome, the characters are all likeable, the score is euphoric, and this is an absolute fantastic film! One of my all time favourites!