Shaun the Sheep easily ranks among animator Nick Park’s most adorable creations. Watch any of the anthropomorphic young ram’s amusing adventures and you’ll find it impossible not to fall in love with him and his flock.
Our woolly friend (voiced by actor Justin Fletcher) first started his journey on television, and has since gone on to become the star of his own film series. So far, Aardman Animations has blessed us with two Shaun the Sheep movies, the latest of which is Farmageddon, a whimsical escapade that is sure to brighten your day.
The movie finds the ovine residents of Mossy Bottom Farm trying to have some fun, while Bitzer the dog (John Sparkes) tries to put a stop to their mischievous activities. But things take a sci-fi turn when Lu-La (Amalia Vitale) — a young dog-like extra-terrestrial with superpowers and a fondness for junk food — lands on Earth and makes her way to the farm.
Hijinks ensure as Shaun and Lu-La set off on a quest to find the latter’s spaceship in the hopes of helping her go back home, all the while being pursued by an agent (Kate Harbour) who is determined to capture the intergalactic visitor. The news of the alien sightings, meanwhile, inspires the Farmer (Sparkes) to create an alien-themed amusement park, Farmageddon, in the hopes that he can earn money to buy a new harvester.
It’s all a wonderful blend of the silly and the heart-warming. There are, as fans of the series will expect, plenty of sight gags and no spoken dialogues; the characters communicate via grunts, mutters, bleats, wordless infections, and various sound and visual effects. The engaging story keeps you invested in the adventure from start to finish, while the film delivers plenty of laughs along the way.
Farmageddon takes you on a playful, charming journey that has been designed to appeal to the entire family. Its younger audience will enjoy the slapstick humour and will be inspired by its message of friendship and helping others, while older viewers will appreciate the sci-fi homage and references to everything from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial to The X-Files.
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon has been rated G (General Audience) by the MPAA.
Published in Dawn, Young World, June 12th, 2021
