Aardman’s latest crown jewel is a sequel to the 2008 British film ‘Shaun the Sheep: The Big Chase’. Shaun makes his worldwide big screen debut in a film that is every bit warm and wholesome on the heartstrings, as it is hilariously awkward with an honest representation of British comedy. Shaun decides some change is needed in his boring and tedious daily routine. He decides to take the day off and have some fun, but he gets a little more backlash than he bargained for. A mix up with the Farmer, a caravan, and a very steep hill lead them all to the Big City, and it’s up to Shaun and the flock to return everyone safely to the green grass of home. ‘Shaun the Sheep Movie’ might not live up to the massive reputation that it has cast with critics nationwide, but there is plenty about the movie for members of every age group to enjoy. Aardman’s stylish backdrop and design has been present in such features as ‘Chicken Run’ and ‘Wallace and Gromit’, but it’s in this film that the movie has finally nailed quality on many fronts on screen. The color scheme paints a dreamy landscape complete with many little touches to accentuate the dedication given by the film’s crew. It’s the things in the backgrounds like bugs crawling on plants, or birds flying across the sky that really shows how far this studio has come. Before i saw the movie, i was quite worried when i heard that the film is mostly done with no actual words. This problem does kind of plague the overall narration of the movie, making it a little hard to stay interrested during a snail’s pace second act, but i was actually quite amazed with what these animals could do comedically with sounds and reactions to silly situations. The movie managed to pull many giggles, and even loud breath stealing barks that proved a testament to the sharp comedic timing that the movie displayed. The film clocks in short at only 75 minutes, and at times it feels like it would be better served as a short film played before a longer feature, but it packs a lot into such a small time frame. At the center of this entertaining punch, is a heartfelt response that had me even holding back tears during one scene. I have always thought that the best kids movies are the ones that supply a deep life lesson to it’s target audience without making it too obvious. ‘Shaun the Sheep Movie’ shows us the importance of serving a purpose in a place we call home. It sometimes takes a long journey outside of those walls to fully appreciate what you had, in order to chase what it takes to get it all back. This film is funny, visually satisfying, and morally complete. But within all of those gifts is the ability to redefine kids films for a generation without relying on the same tired cliches that alienate older audiences from enjoying animation. It’s simple storytelling at it’s finest that certainly deserves a wider release.

7/10