Finally! After years of being pinned down creatively by the nasty corporates at Dreamworks, Nick Park is back at doing what he does best - and it's not a disappointment! A Matter of Loaf and Death runs a similar storyline to that of 'A Close Shave'... Wallace and Gromit are running their own business from home, Wallace meets and automatically falls in love with a lovely English lady, with a suspicious air about her, Gromit pursues the matter, the truth is exposed, big climax and finish! I will take a few points off here for minor unoriginality in the story department... plus the fact that Wallace is being portrayed as a bit of a player!! I will say that while this movie was a delight to watch (the animation has regained that wonderful 'hand touched' look and is by no means perfectly seamless in it's execution, which I found quite annoying in 'Curse of the Were-Rabbit', along with the ample 3D effects... grrr!!!), the storyline and pace of the film was far too quick for my liking. It seemed like the gags were all being forced and weren't just naturally occurring, a lot of it felt too planned (unlike in The Wrong Trousers or A Close Shave). The story was just flying along, and you didn't really have the time to stop and 'smell the roses' so to speak. A lot of it just seemed a tad too convenient, just for the sake of keeping the story going and moving to the next bit. Being an animator myself, I know a half an hour time slot is not a lot to work with, but I think possibly some things could have been cut, to bring the pace back down to a nice amble - and then build up to an exciting hectic finale. It worked perfectly in The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave.
However, having that off my chest, this movie does not disappoint. Wallace and Gromit are still as charming as they ever have been, the sets are absolutely stunningly English, and there is no hint of Hollywood in any of it! What a relief! Old school Wallace and Gromit are back, and let's hope they stick around!!!
However, having that off my chest, this movie does not disappoint. Wallace and Gromit are still as charming as they ever have been, the sets are absolutely stunningly English, and there is no hint of Hollywood in any of it! What a relief! Old school Wallace and Gromit are back, and let's hope they stick around!!!