In Shaun The Sheep Movie, Shaun decides that he and his flock deserve a much-needed rest. Unfortunately, best-laid plans often go awry, and Shaun and his flock is no exception to the rule. While Shaun intends to simply lull the farmer to sleep, he ultimately sends him plummeting down the hill towards the big city below. Now, in an ironic twist, the sheep must search for and rescue their shepherd, who might not want to return to the farm after all.
It is rare to find an animated film that gives equal amounts of attention to the visual as well as the sonic aspects of the film. Unable to use traditional dialogue to get a laugh, the Aardman Animation team are challenged to exploit the use of sound effects as well as the elegant score composed by Ilan Eshkeri. The film’s great score supports each and every scene in a film and refrains from drawing attention to itself. In tone scene, Shaun and his pals pretend to be civilians as they dine in a posh restaurant. When their cover is blown, the silence is palpable. But, as Shaun and the sheep begin to run for their lives, the claymation piano player in the scene scores the pandemonium on the spot! This scene is a perfect microcosm for how the score works in the film, and it works effortlessly.
At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to an overworked farm. Farmer and animals alike are worn thin from the daily grind. When a bus drives by, plastered with an ad admonishing all who see it to, “Take time off,” Shaun’s urge to rest is confirmed. But, when your friend loses his way, it’s time to, “Get going.” Finding the farmer and bringing him home suddenly becomes much more important than taking a nap.
The rhythm of work and rest that is portrayed in Shaun The Sheep Movie is a beautiful depiction of the rest from work that is offered to humanity in scripture. This rest, or Sabbath, affirms our created goodness. We (animals as well as humans) are not machines; we need rest to work well and subsequently, work to rest well.
The next paragraph contains SPOILERS concerning the further development of the film’s plot. – Editor
During the course of his rescue, the farmer suffers a head wound that leads to memory loss. Through a hilarious series of events, he stumbles into stardom. Countless fans tweet, post, and pine about this man who used to be a simple farmer but who is now a fashion icon. Will the farmer remember his name? Will the shepherd remember his former calling and the love that sustains him, Shaun, and the rest of the flock? Or will he choose to be revered and idolized rather than be the shepherd his flock so desperately needs him to be?
Fans of the now classic Wallace and Gromit films will find much continuity here. The creative team at Aardman is showing no signs of slowing down or succumbing to creative laziness. They continue to create stop-motion masterpieces that entertain old and young alike. Shaun the Sheep Movie knows that the best films engage all of the senses equally, and viewers should be more than happy to join Shaun and the gang in their latest escapade.
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