For any Wallace & Gromit fan, checking out Vengeance Most Fowl is a no-brainer. The dynamic duo return for their second-ever feature film (following 2005’s Curse of the Were-Rabbit), which also features a “smart gnome” and the return of the delightfully devious Feathers McGraw.

In Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Wallace leans a little too hard into his inventions — much to Gromit’s growing frustration. The final straw comes when Wallace develops Norbot, an artificially intelligent garden gnome whose over-use of garden shears quickly takes over Gromit’s garden. Meanwhile, Feathers McGraw, banished to life in a zoo exhibit following his diamond-thieving crimes, plots his escape. When Feathers hacks Norbot (and uses him to build an entire fleet of evil smart gnomes), Wallace finds himself in hot water with the police as his gnomes go on a crime spree.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl feels charmingly familiar. The feature uses some CGI enhancements, but largely sticks to the stop-motion style fans know and love the franchise for. The film “feels” like Wallace and Gromit, though perhaps a slightly modernized and elevated version.

Arguably the best part of the feature is Feathers McGraw. During a post-screening Q&A at the film’s premiere at AFI Fest, co-director Merlin Crossingham talked about the specifics of animating for the character. Crossingham said that working with Feathers McGraw is unique because so much of the character’s personality and humor comes from an extreme economy of movement; often, the less Feathers moves, the better. 

Cutting to an unblinking, unmoving bird shouldn’t be nearly as funny as it is. But it’s these moments that really showcase the thought and craftsmanship behind Vengeance Most Fowl; each scene with Feathers feels so intentional and specific in its choices. With thoughtful visual and sound editing, a stationary look from a dead-eyed penguin can somehow convey exactly the emotion (and malice) needed.

In addition to easily bringing laughs to the film, Feathers proves an icon again and again. I loved that Vengeance Most Fowl was full of homages and references to other films and genre staples. Prison-bound (ie, zoo captive) Feathers provided plenty of opportunities to make these references shine. Long-time Wallace & Gromit fans will also easily spot references and tributes to previous installments; you can definitely go on a bit of an Easter Egg hunt with this one.

Besides Feathers, Wallace, Gromit, and Norbot, the feature also revolves around Inspector Mackintosh and the department’s new up-and-comer PC Mukherjee. The duo have some fun moments, but mostly exist to drive the plot along. A lot of their scenes felt too divorced from the rest of the film. I would have liked to see a better integration of their story with that of Wallace and Gromit’s. 

Vengeance Most Fowl follows a pretty predictable set of story beats; however, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Wallace & Gromit feels like the definition of “comfort media” — sure, you’re not experiencing many twists or surprises or new horizons here, but the familiarity of how everything plays out brings a sort of comfort fans are looking for. The audience wants cozy, silly shenanigans, tied up neatly with a bow by the story’s end. Vengeance Most Fowl delivers.

It’s hard to imagine any Wallace and Gromit fans disliking this one. Vengeance Most Fowl brings fan-favorite characters back to the screen, delivering a comforting story with plenty of laughs along the way. It may not break the mold, but it’s a perfectly good time.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl will debut in the US on Netflix January 3, 2025.