1 A True Family Film
Most family films seem to be made with the idea that the "innocence" of children is actually stupidity. These films generally cause mental anguish for the parents and offer little hope of improving the child's ability to comprehend plot or dialogue. Chicken Run is the rare exception. This film is intelligent and witty. It appeals to each member of the audience at their own level so the whole family can enjoy it together...novel idea, eh?
2 Classic Claymation
I have been a big fan of Nick Park, and he and the gang don't disappoint in this film (this is in fact the last first-run movie I've been to, which shows I don't get out to the bloody theaters much!).
In any case, the story of the rebellious chickens in a concentration camp like atmosphere is hilarious, as are the various characters. The stiff upper lip British are lampooned, especially Mr. Tweedy and his evil wife.
The voices come from a wide variety of stars and character performers--Ginger is played by Julia Sawahla, the long-suffering Saffron from "Absolutely Fabulous," and she's joined by Jane Horrocks, who played the aptly named Bubble in another of the chicken roles.
Mel Gibson is hilarious as the American rooster called on to help save the day, and among the others, Timothy Spahl plays Tweedy (you'll see him in "Lemony Snicket," "Still Crazy" and numerous other films).
The animation is again fantastic; the attention to detail, and the realism of the scenes is wonderful.
A good versus evil story that people of all ages can get into.
3 Beyond the Clay Animation... important MANAGEMENT lessons!
Ever found yourself comparing and contrasting movies, or t.v. dramas to real life applications, more specifically at the office? Most of us do - it's how we relate with the characters in the movie or t.v. drama.
As most people who frequent their neighborhood movie store, OFFICE SPACE was the satire of Corporate Life. Chicken Run on the otherhand is the real deal. It provides great value as a unique means of learning corporate structure, and management.
No matter your level in any organization, this movie has some serious, deeper connections to strategic management and managerial style. I challenge you to grab a pen & paper, watch the movie, and write down any situations that mirror a real life / corporate application and/or situation - then pay close attention to what happens, and write down your thoughts. You'll have to press Pause/Play a few times - but it's absolutely worth it!!!
4 4 AND A HALF STARS....good clay animation
We don't find a film like this everyday DO we?? If you like chickens who want to escape a farm from a couple that you would be surprised got married!! Mrs. Tweedy builds a pie machine where, and I quote, "chickens go in, pies come out". This film must've taken a looooong time to make. DAVE'S ALL NEW WITH THE TWEEDYS'!! The chicken's have to escape from the farm and become free. It's just good clay animation if you like THAT at least. I DO. I love it. I wish I was in the clay animation business....
5 Funny, not fowl in the least
Animal rights activists, take heart: Your fervor has spread to the chickens. English chickens at that (with good teeth). Take the elements of HOME ON THE RANGE (a showbiz farm animal arriving to save the day--and it's Mel Gibson), THE GREAT ESCAPE, STALAG 17 (the chickens live in coop 17), some typical Disney yearning to be free monologues, brilliant clay animation, and some wry humor plus one of the best villainesses since Cruella De Vil, Mrs. Tweedy, who literally henpecks her husband (brighter than she gives him credit for)...ah, you have a great, entertaining romp. It has some of the sensibility of Nickelodeon's '90s series "Count Duckula."
6 Funny
One my faviorate movies. The story of the film is about a British chicken who wants freedom from farm life. She makes different plots which are all fail due to her ineffective support of other chickens. This continues thill an american rooster comes by mistake to the farm, and tries to help them to get out.
Behind the funny jokes about chicken and farm life, is the story of a persistant being who wants a better life.
7 movies that take place in one small area usualy stink.
this movie is all aout chickens living in a pen and awaiting execution.like there was some sicko animater who didnt want to get the facts to do a movie on world war 2 so he used imagery and symbolism instead.the entire movie is in a chicken pen.thats not very exiting.the kids watch it like they watch animals at the zoo.theyre cool for a few minutes then thats it.its done in claymation.a lot of people cant even stand to look at that stuff.anyhow,a stunt performer crashlands in the pen and instills the chickens full of false hope.they begin to belive he can really get them out before execution day.he doent know squat though.will kids like a ,movie all about death?i doubt it.i guess the upfront message is all about vegetarianism and the subtle animal farm rip off message is all about ww2.all in all this movie SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!
8 If you want to see a good movie, you'll love this!
If you thoght "The adventures of Wallace & Gromit" was nothing,
you have to see this. I mean, it's funny, good, there's even
some rommance. But it also depends on what kind of type you are. If you are a funny movie kind of person, this might be one of the movies that you would like. If you are a love movie kind of person, this movie might also be a charm to you. If you are a acton/adventure kind of person, well, it might be half & half. The movie is basically about a clever Hen & a famous
Rooster falling in love with each other as they exscape from
the evil Mrs.Twetty's farm. I recon this movie a good one, but I also understand why other people won't like it.
9 A Fun, Funny Film WithTerrific Animation!
Take a group of diverse prisoners, Brits and Yanks, with great nicknames, who desperately try to escape their evil captors. It is their duty to escape - to revolt! Then they realize there is more than freedom at stake. Their very lives are on the line unless they break free. It may be possible for one or two to get away, but the plan is to leave no one behind. Imagine the cast of characters: the super courageous prisoner, the instigator, the intellect, the creative engineer type, the flake, the old soldier. Every time they attempt an inventive, seemingly effective method to reach freedom - they're caught. And the same brave, never-say-die prisoner always pays by spending time in solitary confinement. Then time runs out and the pressure is on as never before. Have you seen the film? "The Great Escape? No! It's "Chicken Run."
Sure. It really works. Just substitute a bunch of sympathetic chickens, and a rooster, for Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Coburn, and Charles Bronson. Stay with me now. The WWII Nazi prison camp is a chicken farm where the poor poultry are forced to lay their daily quota of eggs or they become Sunday dinner. The Tweedys (the couple who run the farm) make terrific Nazis, especially when they decide to turn the farm into a chicken pot pie factory. They're going to cook their goose...err, chickens. "Rocky the Flying Rooster," (known as Steve McQueen in a former life), arrives just in time to give the hens hope.
This is not your typical animated cartoon film. "Chicken Run" is animated using actual clay figures in stop-motion. This procedure is much more complicated than drawn animation. Directors Peter Lord and Nick Park are experts in the field and the effects are wonderful. The sets and backdrops are extremely detailed and have the gray, weathered look of a POW camp.
If one peels away a few layers, this is more than a comical remake of the Great Escape meets Stalag 17. When the instigator chicken, Ginger, tries to motivate her coop-mates to escape, she urges them to change their entire way of thinking. She asks them to think out-of-the-box. To think beyond changing location. For chickens who, unlike human prisoners, have never experienced life outside chicken wire, the concept of green grass that feels good under their claws, is as new as the idea of what it means to be free.
I can't imagine anyone not enjoying "Chicken Run." It truly is a film for kids of all ages.
JANA
10 Great animation, but it's a big rip-off of A BUG'S LIFE
Okay, let's see here...the carnival performer(s) pretending to be warriors/saviors, the "major' with the british accent, the bird in Bug's life, the plane in chicken run -- I mean come on people this last one is sooo bad. Somebody needs to stop playing in the clay box for a few hours and put on the thinking cap. If I'd written a Bug's Life I'd look into a lawsuit. Incidentally Bug's Life was just a pale reflection of Seven Samurai, Magnificent Seven, and Three Amigos is funnier. One last thought. The machine contraption in Chicken run is cool.
11 Not funny?
All those 1 star reviews claim that the movie was bad and not funny. Well, the first time was about to see it I thought it would be funny. It had quite a few funny moments but overall I got impression that it was rather sad (but optimistic). Then I realized that I liked it that way.
Technically, it is perfect, even in the era of 3D animated movies.
Chickens are not your prime target of any movies, but this is THE chicken movie to own. Funny and sad at the same time, if you think about it.
P.S: my usual comment for amazon reviewers. Before you claim that this or that movie is THE worst you ever saw, think twice. It might imply that you indeed have seen VERY few movies in your life, or that you are just talking bull. Can you seriously claim that a particular movie is the WORST movie you have ever seen? I don't know about you, but it would take me some serious thinking to come up with a SINGLE WORST movie I ever watched. Unless you are a Tibetian Monk, you probably did not think it through. It might be bad, but is it the worst?
12 Good for everyone!!
Kids love this movie for the talking chickens and their attempts to fly along with the creative rats...adults love this movie for the subtle humor and gentle jabs at other movie classics. If you are looking for a movie for all ages, this is one to fit the bill. And, it doesn't forget to examine the question, "Which came first?"
A real pleasure, with little (if anything) to offend.
13 THIS CHICKEN LAYS A GOLDEN EGG
CHICKEN RUN is a delightful film, fun for both children and adults! The stop motion animation is brilliant and the characterizations and the voices that supplied them are superb! What is basically an animated poultrified GREAT ESCAPE comes across with laughter, touching sentimentality, and lots of wonderful vignettes. Julia Swahala and Jane Sherrocks (both from Absolutely Fabulous) are indeed absolutely fabulous in their roles. Sawahla's Ginger is the epitome of today's female action hero---brave, loyal, independent and a touch feisty! All of the hens are wonderful, and producers should be ashamed in not featuring them in the credits. Their names don't appear until the end and they go by so fast you can barely read it. These actors are wonderful and deserve more credit for the quality of this film. Its only "star", Mel Gibson, is dashingly heroic and fits Rocky to a tee. Tony Haygarth (so good in Frank Langella's Dracula) does great with Mr. Tweedy's role and Miranda Richardson as the evil Mrs. Tweedy is perfect. This film is lovingly made and has wonderful music, as well. Also, catch some references to other films, such as "Raiders of the Lost Ark" where the tumbling boulder is replaced by tumbling wingnuts, and catch Mrs. Tweedy's Cruella deville impression after she is bombed with gravy!
I loved this movie, it makes you feel good, and is excellent to boot! Don't miss out on this one!
14 YUCKKKKKk
This was the WORST and BIGGEST waste of money that I've ever seen. Chicken Run...THE WORST AND MOST BORING MOVIE IN THE WORLD, stunk. I fell asleep three times and my friends did too. My daughter, age 4 fell asleep, my son, age 2 fell asleep and my other daughter, age 7 fell asleep. So did I and my husband. This is the worst buy ever. If you wanna waste money, be my guest and buy it but if you dont wanna waste any of your hard earned money..DONT BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!! trust me....
15 An Entertaining Film; Truly For All Ages!
Peter Lord and Nick Park's CHICKEN RUN (2000) is truly a film for all ages. Produced by Mel Gibson, it is about how a stray American rooster, Rocky (voiced by Gibson himself) comes to the aid of a group of chickens at the sinister Tweedy Chicken Farm, who are trying to escape before they can be made into pies. On its surface, this story would appear to be rather simplistic; however, it is witty, funny, entertaining, intelligent and interesting. In short, it is everything that most G-rated animated films aren't today. Peter Lord and Nick Park, co-creators of the popular British Claymation "Wallace and Gromit" series, have outdone themselves in crafting a feature film that is both visually stunning and extremely well-written.
CHICKEN RUN makes use of numerous film references, especially from THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963), STALAG 17 (1953) and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981). All are cleverly interwoven with the story. The vocal performances are excellent, especially from Julia Sawalha as Ginger (the hen leader), Jane Horrocks as Babs (Ginger's bubbleheaded best friend) and Miranda Richardson as the evil Mrs. Tweedy. If the names of the first two (and their voices) sound familiar to you, no doubt you'll recognize that they are Saffy and Bubble, respectively, from "Absolutely Fabulous"; arguably the greatest British comedy series of all time. As for the male voices in CHICKEN RUN: Tony Haygarth is hilarious as the dimwitted Mr. Tweedy, the always-great (and Mike Leigh favorite) Timothy Spall is the hapless Nick and, of course, Mel Gibson is funny and charming as Rocky 'The Flying Rooster'.
CHICKEN RUN has modern Claymation that is absolutely amazing compared to the old shows such as "Davey and Goliath" or "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" or "A Year without Santa Claus," etc. To cop a phrase, this isn't your dad's Claymation! Instead, it is a wonderful feast for eyes both young & old, with humor that adults can appreciate. This project started as a labor of love for all those involved, and turned into one of the best films of 2000.
MOST RECOMMENDED
16 RUN FOR THE DVD!
This is one of the best movies ever! Not only a good cast for the voices but CHICKEN RUN delivers a great 2 hours. PIXAR has delivered yet another great movie. This has a very good and matures storyline and youll cant help yourself laughing at times. From the makers of the excellent WALLACE AND GROMIT, CHICKEN RUN is a must see for everyone!
17 Decent Entertainment
Another one of those witty, clever and all-ages animation pictures (like "Toy Story" or "AntZ"), "Chicken Run" falls a bit short on expectations and doesn`t shine as it could and should. So the plot has multiple viewpoints and its interpretations can compare this to some situations in concentration camps, but for the most part this movie is lackluster. Yes, this animation style is creative and funny, but the story is entirely predictable and the characters aren`t really that memmorable or engaging.
There are some interesting and innovative scenes and a couple of hilarious lines enjoyable to both kids and adults, yet this picture could have been more ambitious and surprising. Overall this is worth a few genuine smiles and laughs, but it ends up being not too remarkable. A passable family entertainment, worth watching once.
18 A Fight for Freedom...
The situation at the Tweedy Egg Farm on the English countryside is rather hopeless. Ginger, the ingenious chicken escape artist, wants to help free all her friends before they end up on the Tweedy dinner table. However, Ginger's fellow chickens do not possess the skillful talent that she has which often leads to solitary confinement for Ginger. One night when Ginger is pondering the desperate situation, Rocky, an American rooster, crashes into the hen pen and injures his wing. Ginger convinces Rocky to stay in order to aid in her plans to escape and together they face a new dangerous threat from the Tweedy's. Chicken Run is a superb cinematic experience about the fight for freedom that entertains as well as teaches several valuable lessons for both young and old.
19 Chickens Escape
Chicken Run
comedy film
directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park
staring Mel Gibbson, Julia Sawalha and alot more
Ginger is one of the main characters and her personality is very kind and light harted.
Rocky is an other character. he has escaped from the zoo and all the chickens think he could fly.
Ginger and Rocky's personality together is not very good.
During the film, the chickens try everything to escape. when they wake up one morning, they find that there only way of getting out of the place is gone. After this, it all changes.
i would recommend this film to people who like animated films and like a bit of comedy. i think it is a good movie because the acting is award-winning, the script is entertaining, the soundtract is splendid and wonderful, costumes were great in the film, stunts in some areas were done well and the location of the film suits it well.
20 real art, great satire, and many levels of interpretation
Hopefully they will not be binge eaters, but my kids just love this film and have watched it 30 times (at least). As I watch them watch it, I am fascinated at the many levels this can be seen on: as a concentration camp drama, as an ironic and hilarious drama on American bravado, and as just a great and funny story with deliciously delineated characters. This animated film maker is unique in that he is really serious about his art - wanting to do more than just make money - and uses a technique that many think is outmoded (claymation).
Warmly recommended. I never groan when my kids decide to put this on, as I even do with many disney films. This is superior filmmaking. Truly. Get it.
21 Hogan's Chickens?
Claymation chickens with a plan, greedy chicken farmers, "can do" claymation rats, and viscious dogs all conspire to make this a truly enjoyable film. Can you really resist a movie that features chickens with English accents and an American rooster (hero?). I think NOT!
Wonderful DVD extras that you'll actually watch!
Highly recommended.
22 Absolutely Amazing
I loved Wallace And Gromitt from the moment I saw them in The Wrong Trousers. Now I love Ginger, the strong-willed hen from Nick Park's amazing full-length feature.
Anyone who has enjoyed the great prisoner of war films (The Great Escape, The Grand Illusion, Stalag, etc.) will absolutely love this tale of chickens trying to escape from a chicken farm. As each plan to escape meets with failure, hopes begin to sag. But when they learn that the farmer's wife wants to turn them all into pies, desperation takes hold. Then hope springs again as a flying rooster crashes into the camp. Just what happens after that will have to be discovered by viewing this gem.
Once again Nick Park shows that he has an encyclopedic knowledge of films and just what really made them tick. He then takes this knowledge and weaves it seamlessly into his films.
Like many movies, this is one where you will want to sit through the credits as the fun is not quite over until the very end.
23 VIVA LA POLLO!!!!
VIVA LA POLLO!!!! Finally a movie that represents the true spirit of the mighty and noble chicken. One day we will rise against the human master and strike down the poultry industry.
24 Plucky Hens
As a fan of the Wallace and Gromit movies, I was looking forward to seeing this full-length animated feature and I was not disappointed. Using the same sophisticated adult humour meshed with eye catching animation for the kids, the film is a winner. It tells the story of a group of hens trying to escape from a chicken farm where they are all about to be turned into pies. A rooster arrives on the scene making big, but empty promises of helping them to escape, so it's up to the plucky hens to save themselves.
There are a lot of tie-ins to other movies that adults will recognize and appreciate the cleverness, but there's enough colourful action and adventure to keep the kids happy, too. The voice actors all do a great job bringing the characters to life.
Of course, the animation is superb and very unique and a lot of fun to watch. The film is a real winner!!
25 One of my favorite films...
Chicken Run is a true work of art in claymation. It's entertaining and funny to children and adults alike, with plenty of subtle (and not so subtle) nods to things like Star Trek and Indiana Jones. Any fan of Wallace and Gromit should buy this, as well as everyone else!
26 Good but no staying power
My kids loved this movie the first and second time they watched it. Then, never wanted to watch it again. Cantrast that to the lion King of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Brave little toaster or swan princess which they have watched 10 ten plus times each.
I should have rented not bought.
27 Better than I'd expected
When I saw this advertised, I wasn't sure what to think. I'd never seen Wallace and Gromitt, created by the same team. I was pleasantly surprised.
The film follows a group of chickens in an egg farm. Slowly, they disappear by the farmer's axe as they stop producing eggs. The chickens continually try to escape, but to no avail. Eventually, Mrs. Tweedy the farm's owner, decides to get out of the egg business, and into the chicken (pot) pie business.
The chickens get wind of her plan, and decide they must escape at all costs. Their salvation, literally, flies over the fence one day as Rocky, voiced by Mel Gibson, enters their lives. He claims that if they hide him in their coops, he'll teach them how to fly so they can get over the fence to safety.
All in all this was a very good movie, and suitable for children. The humor is good, and the plot sound, for an animated chicken movie that is. I'd like to see more feature films done in the style that this was done in. Like I said, I've never seen Wallace and Gromitt, so maybe it's time I checked it out, and you should check Chicken Run out as well. You'll be pleasantly surprised as well!
28 "No chicken escapes from tweedy's farm!"
Mel Gibson plays a yankee rooster in a house of british chicks. Ginger, leader of the chickens, wants Mr. Rhodes (Gibson) to teach how the other chickens how to fly. A great family film!
29 A little bit of everything
If you have ever seen a WWII prison movie, then you have the basic premise for this movie. Rather than soldiers, however, chickens are trying to escape the chicken farm. There are more than a few references to the war prison genre, like the film Stalag 17, but also references to Indiana Jones, Star Trek., and Saturday Night Fever.
The story centers on Tweedy's Chicken Farm, where a young, English chicken named Ginger, voiced by Julia Sawalha of Ab Fab fame, is trying to rally her compatriots to escaping. While on the farm, they come into contact with the American rooster, Rocky, voiced by Mel Gibson. Thinking that he can fly, Ginger implores him to teach the other chickens to fly so that they can literally flee the coop.
Along the way are the characters of Mr. Tweedy and the rats, which are always good for a laugh.
I would recommend watching this movie. It is good for a laugh. Watch carefully though, or you will miss the numerous references.
30 Awesome movie! Far Superior to "Wallace & Gromit" shorts.
I thought I might find the humor a little too rough (being a vegetarian and sensitive to animals' rights), but I thought this movie was great. Unlike "Babe 2: A Pig in the City" which was not funny because of the amount of unnecessary suffering the likeable characters had to endure, this movie has a gentle touch especially in the scenes when most needed. (The farmer couple's egg inspections scenes, etc.) Maybe its because the story takes place sometime around the late 1950s to early 1960s, but I truly enjoyed the overall style of this picture. It reminded me of an old-fashioned movie, the type Disney USED to make. The animation is incredible! My only complaint is that there wasn't a little information about the making of this movie. I would have loved to have seen some shots of the guys creating the stop action figures, etc. Great stuff!
31 Thrilling and Funny!
... I LOVE THIS MOVIE! IT IS SO COOL! The characters are great. I love Ginger, Rocky and Mac, but my favorite chicken is Babs. She's fat, like all chickens, but she's a great character. The scene in the pie machine is INTENSE, as is the way cool climax. Now listen, even if you have seen this movie 100 times, and have bought it on video 80 times, you MUST buy it on DVD! If you do, then you will get the super cool "Chicken Impossible" trailer. It is so cool, and it's gonna blow you away! BUY IT NOW!
32 Great
While I may not like may kids movies nor cartoons, this one was halerious, One of the funniest things Ive seen in years :-D!! Good voice acting and excellent animations.
33 an important movie!
the thing with this movie is that almost everybody who has seen it, got it all very wrong. the chicken farm ringed a bell at first, and it didn't take much longer for me to understand that with all the jokes, this movie is an alegory for the holocaust. the farm is surrounded by a wired fence, and the hole farm looks like a concentration camp, not to mention mr. tweedie with his two vicious dogs. and the farm goes from a labor camp, to a mass murder factory. the movie claims, and i agree, that profit was one of the biggest motivations of the nazis to go for mass murder, apart from racism. the movie also says a lot about the american involvement in the holocaust. it's a known fact that american aircrafts took pictures of mass murder camps, but did nothing about it. this movie plays with the idea of what could have happend if they would have done something. rocky, the circus rooster, is that american aircraft. only this time he goes down, and unwillingly helps the chicken. see this movie again, but this time from this point of view.
34 amusing
Not quite as good as the hype but an entertaining film non the less. Certainly better than what on TV.
35 Delightful Chicken Tale
Decent movie for kids and is entertaining for adults as well (which has been a good trend for the past five years or so). The plot is simple and the jokes are clean and funny. The lighting / shadows of the animation is very good, especially seeing the sunrises and sunsets that are some of the best that I have seen. The transfer to DVD is fine. Pretty good flick.
36 No one escapes from Tweedy FArM!!
This was a very enjoyable movie from the the creators of "Wallace and Gromit". Chicken Run Shows that clamation has come along way. Remember "Gumby"? The story centers around a chicken farm in England. One chicken called Ginger is consantly triing to escape. The chicken farm is made to look like a German WWII POW camp. The movie tries to immitate the Steve McQueen classic "The Great Escape". The hens recieve some help from an American Rooster called Rocky (Voices by Mel Gibson). The scene where tries to teach them to fly is very funny. This is one animated movie that can be enjoyed by the whole family. The animation is excellent and realistic.
37 Nice 2 hours
It's a cute movie and will be nice to share with your kids.
38 "A perfect comedy for the whole family"
Chicken Run is and will probably always be the best animated family movie. It was hailed by critics all around the country with Roger Ebert saying it was "magical entertainment for all ages!" And it's true. Like the other successful movie at that time Shrek, Chicken Run was delightful and heartwarming, funny for the kids though had enough jokes that only adults understood.
Ginger, one of the chickens on the evil Mrs. Tweedy's farm, is probably the smartest one of the bunch. She's always thinking up plans of escape because one by one the chickens are being used for food by Mrs. Tweedy. However, all her plans always fail. So when Mrs. Tweedy decicdes to take all the chickens and turn them into pies to become wealthy, Ginger gives up hope. However, soon enough, Rocky (voiced by Mel Gibson), the flying rooster, comes and says that he can teach the chicken to fly. Will it work? Find out.
Highly recommended. Though this isn't my type of movie and it is a bit childish, I still think it's a blast for younger kids. The movie is just right Short and sweet.
39 Just average
The claymation was brilliant, which is worthy of three stars in it's own right, but the plot and dialouge could of been better. Overall, it is a good movie to sit through once, but after that, you'll never want to see it again.
40 fun for all
This is a wonderful movie for people of any age (i am 20 and I enjoy it as much as the kids at the daycare hwere I work.) As for the person who asked where wallace and gromit are, I just have to say that this movie was not intended to feature them. If you want to watch them, then watch them- dont be upset because the creators wanted to diversify. They should have the freedom to pursue other things. And the extras really do make buying the dvd worth it- some dvds have so little extras that one might as well just buy the vhs, but all of the fun things make it worthwhile.
41 MUST HAVE FAMILY MOVIE
This is a great movie, and finally an original one. If you enjoyed Toy Story or Bug's Life then you'll enjoy the story of a bunch of chickens trying to escape from Tweety's Farm. The chickens are lead by a single chicken who seems to be the only one who realizes what fate awaits them if they don't escape. There were a bunch of crazy animal lovers who took this movie to be their anthem when it came out, how chickens are locked up like concentration camps, etc...really makes you laugh at the ends to which people will go to get a little publicicity.
42 For kids and adults
Oh gosh, this is the cutest film and enjoyable by kids and adults. I've sat through Pokemon 2000 and various movies with my kids because I'm a generous mom but this one was just as much for me as for them. The adult humor is surprising but passes over the kids heads easily. It's just too cute.
43 Movie: Possible
"Chicken Run" is hillarious or should I say:
H-Happy
I-I'ts excellent
L-Learning
L-Learning?
A-Amazing
R-Rules
I-I'ts cool
O-Outstanding
U-Unbad
S-Stupendous
I give it 5 stars.
44 Fun
I am a "Wallace and Gromit" fan and this film did not disappoint me. It was as silly and fun as I thought it would be. I am sure every hen dreams about swooning in front of crooning rooster. And when they are not gossiping, eating or laying eggs, I am sure there are great, intricate plans for escape being made.
45 Gets better with multiple viewings.
When I saw this film in the theater, it didn't appeal to me as much as it does now (I currently own this DVD). This is one of those films that takes some time, and a couple of viewings, to really appreciate. The claymation takes some getting used to, as do the British sensibilities (and accents). But be warned. It grows on ya.
"Chicken Run" is one of the funniest, and definately the most charming, film of the year. The story is almost flawless, and the animation is amazing. There's no question this film will do the same for claymation what Toy Story did for computer animation. The most likable character is Babs, the charmingly dim-witted friend of Ginger, the main character. She will crack you up every time she speaks.
The DVD has excellent video and audio (DTS!). The extra features are welcomes bonuses, although the commentary is a little dry.
"Chicken Run" is a homage to an old Steve McQueen film called "The Great Escape," which was made in the 60s. Many of the visual gags in "Chicken Run" are taken directly from "The Great Escape" so it's worth a rental.
Nick Park, the animator, is also the creator of the "Wallace and Gromit" shorts. He received some awards for them. If you liked "Chicken Run," you have to check those out.
46 Five clucks out of five!
Sometimes a movie comes along that is entertaining to all age groups. I am most impressed by these because this is one trick I could never master. I suspect that the creators of such a picture are rare human beings who can manage to be a child and an adult simultaneously. This is different from never having grown up, for the world is full of people who managed never to do that.
The movie in question is Chicken Run, written and directed by Peter Lord and Nick Parks, two enormously eccentric guys from Great Britain. Their chosen field is clay animation, an arduous and difficult procedure in which soft clay figures 'move' through stop motion photography. Chicken Run is the most ambitious project ever undertaken using this process. The results are spectacular.
The plot device is ingeniously simple. Think of a chicken farm as a prisoner of war camp. Think of the captive chickens as forever plotting their escape. In this case, Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy, owners of the farm, and their dogs are the prison guards. One chicken in particular, Ginger, is the trouble maker, the one forever hatching plots to escape. Her ideas are often good, but her comrades are forever screwing the plans up in hilarious ways. A new urgency arrives when Mrs. Tweedy decides that she'd make a lot more money from chicken pot pies than she ever did from selling eggs. A new arrival, a rooster named Rocky Rhodes, gives new hope. It appears that he can fly. Maybe he can teach the chickens how to fly, too.
What makes Chicken Run fly is the fact that it is more than a technical achievement. The story is very funny and very well told. It has some gentle things to say about hope, persistence and survival. The movie is full of delightful, memorable characters. Even the Tweedys, the villains, are amusing. They are everyone's memory of a school teacher who was strict and mean because he or she was so inept and so thoughtless. There are moments that are thrilling, as well as a few that are terrifying. Lord and Park spent a great deal of time working on the scary scenes, trying to lessen their impact on small children. I think they succeeded, and I can recommend the movie for kids as young as four.
47 "A fun family movie"
Chicken Run is a very good animated family comedy. The story is about Ginger, one of the chickens in Mrs. Tweedy's evil farm. When Mrs.Tweedy decided to turn the chickens into pies, the chickens decide to escape by flying. But can they? However, Rocky, an American rooster, comes and says that he can teach the chickens and Ginger how to fly. But when the chickens find out Rocky is fake, he escapes. Now the chicken's only chance is to trust each other and build a plane to fly out of there.
Chicken Run is a very entertaining movie. You can watch it several times and still enjoy it. I suggest you take it.
48 Best version on DVD
I've seen this movie in a good theater, a bad theater, on VHS on a great player (well, as good as they get) and now on DVD. On DVD it was a new movie! The movie is dark. In the previous versions, the dark scenes sort of all ran together. Here, the darker scenes showed a great detail, not only in the chickens but the backgrounds as well. Incredible. Even my usually oblivious kids noticed the difference. If you want to sell someone on the advantages of DVD, this may be a good place to start.
49 boring clay movie
I really had to fight not turning this one off. It was boring! Soooo boring. Not only boring but all the jokes were stolen from other movies.
And the clay is well, clay. A very austre film to view compared to a Pixar film. Animation wise? Very mechanical.
I'm really suprised this one has gotten such good reviews because everyone I know hated it also!
But if you like British humor this might be your cup of tea! As for me it was one of the worst movies I have ever seen.
50 Decent Animation, but a Lame Chick
Strong animation - startling at times in fact - propel "Chicken Run" and keep it from being a total dud. Though nowhere near as poor as the the all-time Box Office Animated Dud, "Howard the Duck" it's interesting they both deal with animals of the flighty, airy variety. Our aviary friends haven't had much luck in animated form (where's The Road Runner when we need him? Beep Beep,) and thankfully "Run" does have a few stunning sequences.
There are also some moments of sweet inspiration, cute kid-friendly messages, and reasonably good voice-overs. That said, the novelty wears off quickly, and parents who may be forced to endure repeat viewings might consider watching "Toy STory" for the 50th time instead! This one's for the birds...stick with the Pigs and Ogres (Babe, Babe 2- Pig in the City - which was named Best Picture by either Siskel or Ebert when it was released, and rightly so, and of course....Shrek.)
51 the best
i just watched it yesterday and i just loved it this is one i am definatly going to watch againi think the best charictars are "nick and fetcha" the 2 rats and how they get all the tools for the chickens who are trying to escape out of the chicken farm because the farmers mr and mrs tweedy look after them and when they stop laying eggs they get plucked, stuffed, and roasted they try about 20 ways to escape and evry time they get caught but not untill rockey the flying rooster turns up and "helps" them escape and the chicken think he really can fly but everyone knows roosters cant fly. so the movi is how they manage to escape. This is one i am definatly going to watch again
52 Inventinve and Funny
My whole family liked it. We all thought it was funny and the extras on the DVD were worth watching. I liked the homage to the Great Escape. It was worth the money.
53 Fun little movie to watch
Starts out with a P.O.W. camp theme and look with Ginger (Julia Sawalha) the Hen making repeated escape attempts, sometimes with other hens(prisoners) just as was done both in WWII and in so many movies such as Stalag 17 (here one of the chicken coops is #17. Ginger keeps getting dumped in a coal bin as punishment (paralleling the sweatbox or pit used in real life)but never gives up hope. Finally an American Rooster (Mel Gibson)named Rocky literally flies into camp having escaped from a traveling circus. Ginger mistakenly thinks he can really fly and pressures him to teach the hens how he did it. Rocky falls for Ginger but doesn't have the nerve to tell her his flying ability actually consists of being shot out of a cannon, she only finds that out after he leaves rather than face up to the truth. Undaunted Ginger and the others build their own airplane out of a couple of coops and assorted junk. During their escape flight the night before they are all to be slaughtered Ginger is captured but rescued by a returning Rocky. All is saved in the end.
54 Great animation, so much fun.
While the chickens on Evil Mrs. Tweddy's (Voiced by Miranda Richardson) farm. The Chickens plan to escape, they failed. Every time, they escape, the situation gets much more worse. The lead chicken Ginger (Voiced by Julia Sawalha) is trying different ways to escape. Ginger saw a Rooster named Rocky (Voiced by Two Time Oscar-Winner:Mel Gibson) flyed. She believes that Rocky could teaches Ginger and the others chickens to fly. Before Mrs. Tweddy is turning the chicken into Hot Chicken Pie.
DVD's has an clear anamorphic Widescreen (1.78:1) transfer and an Strong DTS 5.1 Surround Sound. An running commentary track by filmmakers-Peter Lord & Nick Park. DVD is Packed with Extras. This is One of the Highest Grossing films of 2000. An entertaining comedy fantasy animation is for all ages. An instant comic family classic. Grade:A-.
55 Cute movie!
I got this movie for my son, and he liked it. It isn't his favorite movie, but it is entertaining, and is one of those movies he will watch, and then come back to after a few weeks or months, and that si how a movie should be. One thing though, and perhaps it was the intention of this movie, but it sure does make you feel guilty about eating chicken. :)
56 Great movie
Mel Gibson can make any part good, but this movie is definitely a keeper. The DVD has got a great special features section, with a behind-the-scenes look at how they made the movie, and the chickens.
57 My new happy movie
Well, I am fourteen years old, and I thought I had outgrown animated movies. I never planned to see Chicken Run. However, when I watched this with a film club at my church, the movie gave me that warm and happy feeling I used to get from watching kid's movies. Even the adults there seemed to love it. The whole plot was easy to understand and good for all ages, although some depressing scenes with an axe might be a little over the top for some younger kids. All in all, I really enjoyed Chicken Run and I will probably own it someday!
58 Fun Film
Something about poor Ginger being constantly thrown in the coal bin reminded me of a Bugs Bunny cartoon. It's amazing how these chickens win your sympathy. I was soon watching this film with rapt attention rooting on the exploits of these intelligent chickens. The film is funny and great fun. Both adults and kids alike can enjoy this one.
59 Not Chicken
This is one of my all time favorites! Its funnny,cute,stylish and
very,very witty.
60 Fun Family entertainment
Great fun, a good family film. Definitely one that can entertain the kids over and over. The modeling/animation is really great (check out the earlier shorts, they're really good too).
This is one of those kid/family movies that was written to entertain adults too, although I certainly wouldn't be entertained watching it more than a time or two. Recommended for family viewing right up there with most Disney movies.
61 A children's movie....not really for children, or adults.
I am watching this for the first time. It is November 10, 2001 and I am not interested. Perhaps I should have watched this earlier, and should not be comparing it to "Shrek." However, We have been watching "Shrek" for a week now, and the two Dreamworks pictures are miles apart.
The British accents are very distracting for me, and my 8 year old daughter keeps asking me "What did they say?" The story is okay, but seems to go nowhere fast.
My wife and I found that this movie did not hold our interest or the interest of our two children. I can safely say that we will not be watching this any time soon. This is a very strange movie destined to become a cult movie for fans of animation.
Great animation, clever story, but on the whole, a letdown of a movie.
62 Entertaining Even for Adults
Chicken Run was a wonderful movie in a number of ways: entertaining, amusing, and even inspiring. The writing was not at all childish or corny, unlike other movies aimed at children -- I'm almost 30 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The "making-of" in the bonus materials was quite interesting and helps you appreciate a little more what went into the production of the movie.
All in all, a spectacular movie. Hats off to Park and Lord!
63 The Best of 2000
"Chicken Run" is fantastic. The stop motion animation is smooth and fast, and the writer has placed tons of clever British humor into the script. This is a high for Mel Gibson, because he was also in my second best film of 2000, "The Patriot"
64 do not serve chicken soup after this movie
Fun to watch
more fun for big kids than little ones.
65 Standard
Yes, the animation is good. Technically speaking, I enjoyed the hard
work put into animating the little clay chickens. However, the movie
itself is severely lacking and is unfitting for adults. It plays out
every known cliche: there will be a chicken and a rooster; they will
fall in love; the owner of the chicken slaughterhouse will be a nasty
old hag; chickens are all "good". Plus, the humor is forced and
usually barely gets a smile. Wouldn't it be more interesting, for
instance, to portray the owner a little nicer? I'm sure there are
many owners in the real world who are nice people, but who have to
slaughter chickens for a living.
Anyway, don't expect a high class film; this is no Miyazaki. It's
not a children's movie in the same sense that, say, The Wind in the
Willows is a children's book. This is really a children's movie,
meaning it's for children only.
66 Not good or Bad.
This is the type of movie in my view which is missable. It is not a classic or an epic but just an ordinary movie. The animation like many have said is outstanding however the plot runs dry half way through the movie. The dvd itself has some special involvements which the normal video would not include and this is actually a very good dvd. Many people have different views and many of you may find this a thrill or worse than i have just stated. I do not try to put you off but just try to advise you with my opinionbut if you like Wallace and Gromit then this is up your street.
67 Claymation and comedy at its best
It is a refreshing change when people decide to create movies in the seldon used stop-motion animation style. Some of my favorites are "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "James and the Giant Peach" and now I can add "Chicken Run" to the list. Chicken Run is not only a funny movie it is a fascination piece of cinematography. They put more thought into the camera angles and lighting effects than I see regular movies do today. The comedy is quick and witty and the action is fast paced it seems impossible to be done with the stop-motion technique. Included on the DVD are extras that show the behind the scenes creation of the movie that needs to be watched by everyone who wants to enjoy the movie fully.
68 The animation is good, but the movie is bad.
I gave Chicken Run 2 stars because of the excellent animation, it was brilliant. Unforunately, the movie's plot was bad and gloomy. I mean, there is a part when a chicken gets her head cut off, and that part is totally uneeded! And about 40% percent of the humor is lame. It is hard to think that such a good anamated movie, has a stinker plot.
69 Politics, assertiveness, persistence... in a humorous form
Entertaining for all, from 8-year-olds to adults! Cute story, comedic aspects and colorful claymation make an excellent production. It's sort of a not-so-obvious remake of "The Great Escape" and makes a great discussion starter for business, politics, assertiveness, persistence and teamwork. It was a big with our kid viewers who commented: "It's silly and fun but it taught us to look for different ways to solve problems." "The chickens were like real people, with good expressions and human voices." "I learned what prison must be like."
70 Cult classic
What a cool movie for the Kids and the child within the adult, great work by Nick Park and his partner Peter Lord.
A storyline lifted from the great Escape by a movie that pays homage to all the WW2 escape movies with a plot that can be understood by the kids and an underlying plot that can be understood by the adult viewers, I've used this movie many times to calm children down or get them ready for bed, I don't think that they will ever get bored with this one.
A must have in your collection.
71 Very cute.
I love Wallace and Grommit, so this was a big must-see for me. The animation was terrific, and what great story. The one drawback for me was Mel Gibson being a main voice. Not a big fan of Mel. But, since I am probably in a *very* small minority there, I feel I can in good conscience recommend this sweet movie very highly.
72 This Bird's on a roll
It is totally proper this this review should immediately follow my review of the Great Escape. I can't see one movie without thinking of the other. This is frankly one of the best children's features of the last 10 years.
Forgetting the many in jokes for movie fans or for Mel Gibson fans (" '...the land of the free and the home of the brave. 'Scotland!'") We see a movie full of interesting characters with interesting tag lines: "In my RAF days", "on holiday" etc... We also see a very British film that isn't Americanized and just plain fun the way it is.
The makers of Wallace & Gromit have a reputation for making smart and funny short films in this way. After this one we see they can make feature films of the same quality. The fact that it hasn't been merchandiced (With apologies to Mel Brooks) to death is another plus.
This is clean family fun that any adult will love. It lived up to its previews and surpassed them. In this year of weak movies its worth buying this one. It's better than anything I've seen this year.
73 DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SPELL CHICKEN RUN? B-A-D
Chicken Run was the WORST movie I ever saw. The humor was NOT funny at all. And here is the boring drag plot: A bunch of hens are stuck on this farm with this evil woman who wants to turn them all the chickens into pot pies. Then a rooster named Rockey Road lies to the chickens that he can fly to get their attention. (He was orginally shot out of a cannon, his weakness is discovered, but he saves the day anyway) is BORING!!!! Here is an example of a bad joke:
"Turn into pies? I don't like gravy" is not that funny. All the rest of the humor is cliched (You Idiot! etc.) Overall CHICKEN RUN IS A TURKEY!!!!
74 pure brilliance
Having been fed an unremitting diet of computerized special effects for so long I was simply astonished by the beauty of this clay animation movie. It a tribute to the dedication, patience and artistry of the animators.Besides being a technical masterpiece, everything else worked as well including, the storyline, the characters, the photography and the script. It was funny and entertained everyone in my familly and has become a real favorite of mine.
The characters, blessed with the voices of some very popular actors including Mel Gibson, were just wonderful. I strongly recommend this film - it's a classic.
By the way - If you like this movie, take a look at the Wallace and Grommitt series - its by the same people and excellent work.
Pure entertainment - try it - you wont be sorry
75 cheese
The anamation is fantastic, the story is good, anything done by them is worth watching (especially Wallace and Gromit). I guess Disney is wrong and you don't need a babe with a minute waistline and a huge chest to be a good cartoon.
76 Highly enjoyable!
I've been a fan of Nick Parks' work for years, ever since a friend took me to see the third Wallace and Gromit film (along with some other Aardman Animations shorts, including Creature Comforts) at the Film Forum here in NYC several years ago. And Chicken Run doesn't disappoint! There's so much creativity and parody shown here - from the opening credits and the Great Escape and Stalag 17 nods... truly a wonderful movie.I would watch it again, but have lent my DVD to a friend, and she seems to have taken it hostage for some reason.
77 Awesome animation, great for adults
As a 22 year-old, I know I should be watching less "kid flicks", but Chicken Run (like its ancestor Wallace and Gromit) is just as watchable by adults than children. The animation is absolutely superb, lending a realistic quality to the interactions between the characters, in particular the facial expressions of the various chickens. A few times I literally laughed out loud seeing a clever grimmace, or was amazed by realistic water and other liquids.It's primarily British humor, so I can see where some people might object, but on a whole Chicken Run is one of my more favorite movies in recent memory, and clearly the best claymation work to date. Ignore the naysayers and enjoy the ride.
78 Comical and full of Vigor!
I loved the "Wallace and Grommit" films. This film was funny, emotional, inspiring and animated well. Definately more of an adult/teen movie, not really for children."Chicken Run" also had good voice actors too and it was nice to see it on the big theatre screen first.
79 Bad
I'm sorry to the people that thought this was funny because when I was whatching this movie I didn't laugh once. The movie was VERY boring.
80 Enjoyable on a childlike and adult level.
When people see animation that isn't rated PG-13, they can automatically assume that the movie is strictly for kids. It is a natural mistake, but one that shouldn't occur in reference to this movie. "Chicken Run" combines the delightful jokes that come along with a bunch of chickens trying to run away, with the quiet joy in knowing this is "The Great Escape"...with chickens. Children will enjoy the whole movies tone of excitment and the funny lines. Teenagers can enjoy the absurdity of the plot, and adults can enjoy the little references to older movies, and also the excitment/absurdity. There are so many levels to this movie, that it is enjoyable to almost every audience you can find.
The plot moves at a pleasent pace, and the action rarely stops. A new plan is always hatching, and promising laughter. A true family film that people ages 5 to 105 can enjoy!
81 Could be good for kids, but not for adults only.
There are some great movies made for kids that are equally entertaining to adults. This is not one of them. If you're looking for a movie to watch with your kid, this would probably be a good choice. Other reviewers will give you a better perspective on it from that point of view. If, however, you are a couple of adults looking for a good movie, don't put this at the top of your list. It got such rave reviews that I was willing to try it sans kid, but it wasn't worth it.
82 THE MAGIC OF CLAYMATION...NOT JUST FOR KIDS
I originally had little interest in seeing this film, but when my daughter returned home from college, she, having already seen it, told me it was terrific and suggested that we watch it together. Since parents of teenagers know that moments of togetherness are somewhat limited by their offspring's desire to be with their friends, I grabbed at the opportunity to have a shared mother/daughter activity, however sedentary.While I was not overly optimistic about enjoying this film, not withstanding the critical raves, as I am not a devotee of animated films, I looked forward to just hanging with my nineteen year old daughter in the comfort of our home. Yet, as soon as the film began, I became wholeheartedly engaged by it.
What an absolutely delightful film! It is funny, irreverent, and has a coherent plot which revolves around a group of English and Scottish hens trying to escape from a chicken farm owned by a Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy. Mrs. Tweedy, by the way, makes Cruella De Ville look like Mother Theresa.
Anyway, the chickens are being organized by a hen named Ginger and exhorted to make a run for it before it is too late. You see, they all lay eggs for the Tweedys, but the minute a hen has a dry spell, she ends up as the Tweedy's dinner. To keep from ending up as a roaster, they must escape from the Tweedy's chicken farm. Time is of the essence, as the Tweedys have decided that, rather than selling eggs, they should just sell chicken pot pies.
Enter Rocky Roads, a so called flying rooster, who ends up in their chicken coop when he unceremoniously crash lands on their turf, after escaping from the circus. Rocky, a brash and cocky American, is inveigled by Ginger to teach them all to fly. He does his best, knowing, however, that it will never happen. Still, this provides for some hilarious scenes. Meanwhile, a spark seems to have been struck between Rocky and Ginger. After saving Ginger from becoming becoming part of the inaugural pot pie, Rocky flies the coop, so to speak.
What happens next is audacious and heartwarming. It is also quite funny. I would recommend this film to anyone who has a heart and a sense of humour. The magic of claymation is a wonder to behold, as it creates three dimensional animated figures that make you want to reach out and touch them. The cast for the voices of these animated creatures is terrific, as they go a long way towards endowing these animated characters with some very human qualities. Watch the film. You will find yourself totally engrossed in the great eggscape!
83 Mel Gibson & Julia Sawalha star in this comedy wannabe.
Early in Chicken Run, Mr. Tweedy (Tony Haygarth) lays down the law. "No chickens escape from Tweedy's farm". Not a very nice man. But attempt after attempt the chickens can't escape from Tweedy's farm.Every attemt fails until Rocky (Mel Gibson) an American rooster shows up. When of the chickens named Ginger (Julia Sawalha) wants to leave the farm for good! And she hopes to escape by having Rocky show the chickens how to fly. Rocky has a secret that he was shown being shot out of an cannnon and he can't fly.
He is on the run from the circus. Mr. Tweedy can't get his wife named Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) to believe the chickens are escaping from the farm. Every day the Tweedy count to see how many eggs the chickens lay. And when they can't lay eggs anymore the Tweedys will kill them. When any of the chickens don't lay an egg because she was thinking more of escaping they wait until the last minute before telling the other chickens. Mrs. Tweedy decide she has had enough of this and start making chicken pies. Made out of her chickens! When Mr. Tweedy asks hows it work Mrs. Tweedy tells him to get a chicken and she'll show him.
Mr. Tweedy picks Ginger and Rocker saves her from the chicken pies machine. They show a tag called Mrs. Tweedy's Homemade Pies to the other chickens and none of the others doesn't want to be a pie. While shopping for father's day, Mom talked me into getting this on dvd. Rent this first to see if you like it, if you do then buy it on video or dvd. There is aslo a rooster named Fowler (Benjamin Whitrow) who was a rooster in the R.A.F (The Royal Air Force). And from when Rocky arrives on the farm to when Ricky saves Ginger life, he I guess doesn't trust Rocky.
So after Rocky leaves Ginger decides they will escape by making a crate. There is a chicken named Babs (Jane Horrocks) who knits. What are they supposed to do knit their way out of Tweedy's farm? While this is going on Rocky sees an ad for Mrs. Tweedy's Homemade Chicken pies which aslo says "the woman's touch." This film from Dreamworks even though its animated got a G rating while others got slapped with a PG rating, like Shrek, Antz, The Road to El Dorado. Get your copy now (If you like this film).
84 A lot of fun no matter your age
This is one of the most clever and funniest movies I've seen. For ultimate appreciation, watch the classic, The Great Escape first (which Chicken Run spoofs with great results). Then, put in Chicken Run and marvel and laugh for the next 83 minutes. Chicken Run covers smart and spirited Ginger the Hen's attempt to light a fire -- or avoid having a fire lit --under her chicken coop comrades. The chickens live with the evil Tweedys -- Mr. and Mrs. -- who've done some figuring and decided that eggs bring "miniscule profits," so it's time to start marketing "chicken pie." Only Ginger sees the danger and spurs the other chickens to a coop coup -- to absolutely hilarious effect. The DVD is worth getting -- it's got very interesting features about making the movie, including interesting facts such as the amount of film each animator produced in one day (2 seconds worth). The DVD also has a "panic button" on which you can click to watch only the movies' funniest scenes -- the chickens in their moments of most panicky mayhem. Definitely worth owning and watching more than once.
85 Great for adults and kids...
Chicken Run is a good movie, and like so many so-called "kids movies" it operates on 2 levels.My 2 kids, ages 4 and 2 1/2, love it. They like the talking chickens, the dancing, and the music. They run around the den flapping their "wings" trying to fly like the hens trying to escape the evil chicken farm.
For grown-ups it's funny too. I laughed out loud when one chicken was bouncing a tennis ball in solitary confinement after being caught trying to escape -- what a funny spoof on Steve McQueen in the Great Esacpe (I think). The movie spoofs other escape movies...Stalag 17 mostly...and their are a few really funny lines that only an adult would get.
I enjoyed...if you have kids...then you and your family are likely to enjoy it as well.
86 For the kids
I don't see how adults could appreciate this movie-- the humor works only on an infantile level. If I'd never seen "clay-mation" before, I guess I could appreciate this on a technical level, but it really doesn't look very good.The worst part of this movie is the the movie itself-- any of us could've written this ourselves, there is nothing surprising clever or creative like one would find in a Disney movie (not that I love Disney cartoons, but this pales in comparison.) I suppose Mel Gibson and the other vocalists were pretty good, but overall they are nothing really special.
This movie was recommended to me by 2 adults ("It's so funny") but to me, there is nothing funny in this that an adult can enjoy. If you're looking for a movie for the kids- there are much better ones out there. If you're looking for one for yourself, don't bother!! Lots of yawns, not a single laugh or smile.
87 DA BOMB
THE MOVIE CHICKEN RUN IS ABOUT A GROUP OF CHICKENS PLOTING TO ESCAPE A FARM BEFORE THEY ARE TURNED INTO PIES. AFTER ROCKY A COCKY AMERICAN ROOSTER CRASH-LANDS ON THE FARM ALL THE CHICKENS WANT HIM TO TEACH THEM HOW TO FLY. ALL ATTEMPTS GO FOWL. SO ROCKY THINKS ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, FALLING IN LOVE WITH A YOUNG BRITISH HEN NAMED GINGER. SHE KNOWS ROCKY IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED.AFTER ROCKY SAVES GINGER FROM THE PIE MACHINE EVERYTHING GOES DOWN HILL FROM THEIR. WELL I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE WHOLEE MOVIE AWAY SO GO OUT AND CHICKEN RUN.
88 DA BOMB
THE MOVIE CHICKEN RUN IS ABOUT A GROUP OF CHICKENS PLOTING TO ESCAPE A FARM BEFORE THEY ARE TURNED INTO PIES. AFTER ROCKY A COCKY AMERICAN ROOSTER CRASH-LANDS ON THE FARM ALL THE CHICKENS WANT HIM TO TEACH THEM HOW TO FLY. ALL ATTEMPTS GO FOWL. SO ROCKY THINKS ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, FALLING IN LOVE WITH A YOUNG BRITISH HEN NAMED GINGER. SHE KNOWS ROCKY IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED.AFTER ROCKY SAVES GINGER FROM THE PIE MACHINE EVERYTHING GOES DOWN HILL FROM THEIR. WELL I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE WHOLEE MOVIE AWAY SO GO OUT AND CHICKEN RUN.
89 Serve Rice or Something After Watching!
I loved this video, but I had trouble getting my nephew to eat chicken afterwards. He lives on a ranch where the chicken is home-grown and cooked fresh. :) So butcher the chicken first, wait a couple days, THEN watch the film. It puts a lot of others to shame with its high-quality storyline, humor and animation. I fully recommend it; it's one of the best 'toons I've seen in years. Thank you, producers!
90 I'll never eat chicken pie as long as I live.....
"Chicken Run" is one of the cutest movies I've seen in quite a while! Sure, it follows the "formula" set forth by Hollywood for dramas and action films, but it has a wonderful storyline and very likeable characters that you just can't help falling in love with. The two rats are hysterical as the comic relief and the Tweedy's are wonderful villians! All around a great movie that makes you want to never eat another chicken pie again. I love this film, and I think you will too!
91 Not just for kids !
I first watched this movie with my 4 years nephew, ever since I saw it several times and enjoyed it even more. The animation is great, and the screenplay is very clever. I find it very hard not to sympathize the chickens.
92 One of the best kids movies
G-rated flicks are usually a BIG disappointment, but being an avid movie fan and a fan of DreamWorks, I decided to check this one out. I was glad I did. It's an acheivement in kids filmmaking.Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha) is trapped on the Tweedy's farm, with many other chickens. Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy are planning to make a chicken pie. Ginger tries hatching a plan to escape the barn. When a circus rooster, Rocky lands on the barn, Ginger hopes she can count on him to help the chickens to escape.
This movie is funny stuff for all ages and is completely inoffensive. This is a family movie to buy and enjoy. Also, if you want to see some other movies that are good, check out Speed, The Patriot, JFK, Titanic, Gladiator, Bad Lieutenant, Road Trip, Air Force One and Deep Blue Sea.
93 The Great Eggscape
I had never seen any of the Wallace and Gromit cartoons before Chicken Run. Still haven't. And yet my expectation meter for Chicken Run was unreasonably high. You see it had been a good couple of months for animation what with Toy Story 2 and Tarzan recently released and I was eagerly awaiting the next critical lauded piece of artwork. So I get Chicken Run. Ehh! It was good but relative to its competition, it was a disappointment.Chicken Run begins with a fantastic sequence. A brave little chick desperately trying to escape the trappings of her coop. Her elaborate ideas are stopped again and again and again. This happens over the opening credits and it's almost too good. The film never recovers from such a blindingly brilliant introduction.
A film involving escape should not waste its escape ideas in the first five minutes because the rest of the film is lacking in originality. It gets a shot in the arm with the arrival of Mel Gibson's charming rooster. Some of his lines are classics and there are some neat supporting characters. Jane Horrocks is a real crowd pleaser as the constantly happy hen and the war reminiscing rooster is splendidly old school. However, the lead is very bland. She tries to escape and we know she desperately wants to, but that's as far as her character goes. She's too one-dimensional. A disappointingly routine character especially against the eccentricites of the supporting cast.
Chicken Run is a children's film and it works as such. The kids love this animation especially because it seems so new, so amazingly unreal. However, parents looking for an escape adventure would be better off checking out a Steve McQueen movie or something along those lines.
94 Funniest Movie Of 2000!
Chicken Run is a great movie for all ages. It's about a group of chickens that want to escape a fram before they get turned into pot pies. But Whan rocky a cocky american rooster shows up everyone thinks he could fly. He ignores all the problems around him insted of flying on his mind his mind is set on one thing winning the heart of Ginger a young British hen (but she knows Rocky is not to be trusted). Togher It's up to Rocky and Ginger to help their friends fly the coop before it's too late.I recomend this movie to Everyone, Still young kids might get scard in some parts overall it's a outstanding movie.!!
95 Claymation at its best
I give this movie 5 stars, not only for content, but for the wonderful stop action clay animation. Whoever has the patience to do that, gets Kudos in my book. The humor is very much like the Wallace and Gromit films and the voice casting is perfect. It is so fun to see clay figures looking and acting like the actors that "portray" them. This is a film that we can sit down and watch with the children, even though alot of the British humor is lost on them. It seems that I never fail to "find something new" each time that I watch it, and the humor never grows old. It is an amazing animated tale and one that we will enjoy over and over again through the years, as it "grows" with our children's comprehension. There are villians and be forewarned that a chicken DOES "loose it's head", but its much calmer than most kids movies on the market today. A treat to veiw and a great family film.
96 Claymation at its best
I give this movie 5 stars, not only for content, but for the wonderful stop action clay animation. Whoever has the patience to do that, gets Kudos in my book. The humor is very much like the Wallace and Gromit films and the voice casting is perfect. It is so fun to see clay figures looking and acting like the actors that "portray" them. This is a film that we can sit down and watch with the children, even though alot of the British humor is lost on them. It seems that I never fail to "find something new" each time that I watch it, and the humor never grows old. It is an amazing animated tale and one that we will enjoy over and over again through the years, as it "grows" with our children's comprehension. There are villians and be forewarned that a chicken DOES "loose it's head", but its much calmer than most kids movies on the market today. A treat to veiw and a great family film.
97 It's OK
It wasnt as good as I expected, but it was still enjoyable. This is one bizarre movie...it's kind of like they took the plot of 101 dalmations and substituted dogs with chickens. It's a dark movie actually, and if I had little kids I might think twice about letting them watch this. Overall it is enjoyable to watch, I just wasnt blown away by it.
98 "Chicken Run"- don't let this one get away!
I first found out about `Chicken Run' in a movie theater, when they played the coming-attractions trailer. My first glance at those claymation figures, with the hotdog-shaped mouths and square white teeth, told me this had to be Nick Park's work. Which was just about all the recommendation I needed.English animator Park is the creator of the `Wallace and Gromit' cartoons; misadventures of a clueless but lovable cockney inventor, and his very patient dog. So far there's three installments in that series; `A Grand Day Out', `The Wrong Trousers', and `A Close Shave.' All are notable for being entertaining fare for both children and grownups. The plots are original, there's no end of amusing little details tucked into the sets, and Peter Sallis, the actor voicing Wallace, does a fine job of it (Gromit never speaks, but, with his drolly understated facial expressions, he hardly needs to.)
It is to Dream Works' credit that they apparently let Park & Company follow their own vision in the making of `Chicken Run.' As other reviewers have noted, the plot is essentially a feathered version of 'The Great Escape', with dashes of very British wit stirred in. The opening scenes are of Ginger, the indomitable hen (voiced by Julia Sawalha), making repeated attempts to extricate herself and her fellow egg-laying prisoners from the stalagesque `Tweedy's Chicken Farm.' Every effort fails, but, despite being repeated punished with confinements the dumpster, Ginger won't give up.
Things promise to get worse; the sinister Mrs. Tweedy (voice of Miranda Richardson, giving Cruella DeVille a run for her money) decides the farm would make bigger profits producing chicken pies, rather then eggs. Just in time, Rocky, an apparently fledged American rooster, literally drops into the picture. Ginger promptly declares him their best hope for escape; surely a Flying Rooster can teach the hens to soar out of their captivity. Rocky, who's on the lam from the circus and needs somewhere to hide, reluctantly agrees- but is he really on the level?
Of course, we all know he'll come around sooner or later (he's got Mel Gibson's voice, after all.) Likewise, we know these determined barnyard fowl will triumph, after dealing with a succession of obstacles and setbacks. What makes this movie work is the abundance of funny and/ or visually interesting bits along the way. There's Fowler, the fussy, aged ex-military rooster who's openly mistrustful of the newcomer ("Those Yanks! Always late for the wars!") There's a wise-cracking pair of opportunistic rats, maneuvering to make a profit off the chicken's efforts. There's refs to Bugs Life, Indiana Jones, and Star Trek, among other things (these are fleeting, so keep your eyes & ears peeled.).There's an exuberant sequence where Rocky teaches the hens to dance, a merrily nightmarish one where he and Ginger struggle to escape the bowels of the pie-making apparatus, and a Final Confrontation to rank with the best of `em.
In short; despite the Schindler's Birds subtext, `Chicken Run' is a genuinely Fun Ride. Don't be afraid to let all but the most sensitive kids view this video.
99 An animated masterpiece!
Chicken RunScore: 97/100
Chicken Run is not only the film that assures that the claymation way of filmmaking will never go out of style, but it puts Nick Park and Peter Lord as one of the top directors of our times, and they've only made 4 films, all which have managed easily to fit into my top 50! That is a pretty remarkable achievement for animated filmmaking.
Having been hopelessly repressed and facing eventual certain death at the chicken farm where they are held, Rocky the rooster (Mel Gibson) and Ginger the chicken (Julia Sawahla) decide to rebel against the evil Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy (Tony Haygarth and Miranda Richardson), the farm's owners. Rocky and Ginger lead their fellow chickens in a great escape from the murderous farmers and their farm of doom.
Acting wise, the film is excellent, a bunch of voice talents alone make the film worth seeing, Julia Sawalha and Mel Gibson bring their claymation chickens alive, and Lynn Ferguson uses her voicing expression awesomely as geeky chicken Mac. But here it is actually Absolutely Fabulous' Jane Horrock's that steals the show as the hilarious knitty witty chicken Babs, not to mention Miranda Richardson's delightful voice-over performance as an evil character. But it comes as no surprise that the brilliant clay chickens and stunning set-decoration over-take everything else that is excellent about the film, and everything about it is excellent.
An animated masterpiece, Chicken Run is witty, eye-catching and hugely enjoyable. A must-see!
100 Great Fun For The Whole Family!
This movie was so funny. It's about a group of chickens who are fed up with having to reproduce eggs all day and don't feel like doing it for the rest of their lives. And whats worse, their owner isn't making enough money on the eggs so she's going to turn them into pies. But when a circus rooster who is part of a flying act comes in, they think he can halp them. What they don't realize is that he was shot out of a canon. But he just might have a plan after all. You'll love it. It's hilarious. Buy it today!
