Christmas Day TV: why the new Wallace and Gromit is today’s must-watch film
A British Christmas tradition returns in Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit, the animated duo that have warmed our hearts since their first appearance 35 years ago.
There’s been little from the witless inventor and his canine chum ever since 2008’s A Matter of Loaf and Death, but a new deal with Netflix has seen them ride again. This time, Wallace (voiced by Ben Whitehead) invents Norbot (Reese Shearsmith), an AI gnome designed to help around the house. What first proves a great success turns sinister when Norbot is hacked by Feathers McGraw, the imprisoned criminal from 1993’s The Wrong Trousers.
If you’re looking for a comfort film this festive season, Wallace and Gromit won’t let you down. The gentle humour hasn’t worn off after all these years, with clever movie references baked in to complement the lighter sight gags.
Whitehead steps in for the late Peter Sallis for the first time on the big screen, having voiced Wallace in video games and commercials. More than an impression, the change is seamless and the character retains all of his oblivious charm. Gromit, of course, is the highlight, a character who says an awful lot without a word and wins your heart all over again.
It’s also great to see Feathers McGraw return, still feeling like a classic Bond villain trapped in the body of a penguin. Peter Kaye gets the tone just right as chief inspector Albert Mackintosh, reprising his role from 2005’s The Curse of The Were-Rabbit and getting a lot of the spoken laughs.
While the plot may be similar to The Wrong Trousers, Vengeance Most Fowl gives you everything you would want from a new Aardman adventure. The perfect comedy to watch while your Christmas dinner goes down.
• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is on BBC One and iPlayer at 6.10pm on Christmas Day