The following contains spoilers for Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, now streaming on NetflixWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowlbuilds off the saddest running subplot of the entire animated franchise and explores a twist that was established in previous entries of the series.Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowlis the first new full adventure starring the titular duo since 2008’sA Matter of Loaf and Death, serving as a welcome return for the duo. The film is also notably a direct follow-up toThe Wrong Trousers, bringing backcharacters like Feathers McGrawfor a new heist attempt.
Notably, it’s more than just the villain that’s a returning element for the film.Vengeance Most Fowl’s story and endingunderscore an important element of the franchise as a whole, reinforcing a central emotional theme of the series by revisiting a sad aspect of many previous shorts. This givesVengeance Most Fowla clearer connection to the legacy of Wallace and Gromit, even beyond the elements that directly build on Feathers' return.
Gromit Has To Face His Greatest Fear Again InVengeance Most Fowl
Image via BBC
One of the big emotional throughlines ofWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowlfocuses on Gromit feeling isolated and removed from his own life, replicating a consistent theme of the series.Vengeance Most Fowlintroduces Wallace’s newest invention, a helpful little robotic gnome named Norbot. The purpose of the device is to handle the little annoyances of life, but Wallace’s well-intentioned efforts just remove Gromit’s ability to garden in peace.This plays into Gromit’s overall concern that his connection with Wallace is being replaced, with the inventor even creating a machine to pet Gromit instead of doing it himself.
This builds into the film’s showcase of Gromit’s loyalty to Wallace, and plays a big part inWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’s ending. When confronted with the chance to stop Feathers McGraw at the risk of his own life,Gromit is brought back from the edge by Wallace’s proclamation that he could never deal with the loss of his companion and best friend. This pays off in the film’s final moments, which reveal that Wallace has reprogrammed the Norbots and happily pets Gromit. This underscores their connection, especially after previous shorts and films explored similar themes.
Gromit’s Biggest Tragedy Has Already Happened Before
MultipleWallace & Gromitstories have focused on the bond between the titular characters, with tension in the shorts stemming from Gromit’s fears that Wallace will eventually leave him behind. This was a key component ofThe Wrong Trousers, which also saw Wallace create a machine meant to replace his responsibilities towards his dog. This coincided with Feathers' arrival as a boarder in Wallace and Gromit’s home, steadily stealing Wallace’s attention and even Gromit’s bedroom. As a direct sequel toThe Wrong Trousers, it makes sense thatVengeance Most Fowlwould return to that drama.
[Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death] highlighted the lengths Gromit will go to protect Wallace even when the latter has no idea of the danger he’s in…
Gromit’s fears of being replaced also factored intoA Matter of Loaf and Death. That film tweaked the formula by introducing Piella Bakewell, a possible love interest for Wallace who turns out to be a dangerous serial killer. Part of the drama in that short centered around Piella’s efforts to turn Wallace against Gromit, even faking an injury to blame on the dog. That short highlighted the lengths Gromit will go to protect Wallace even when the latter has no idea of the danger he’s in, underscoring the importance of their relationship in Gromit’s eyes.
Wallace & Gromit’s Central Friendship Is The Emotional Core Of The Series
Wallace And Gromit’s Bond Is At The Core Of Every Story In The Series, IncludingVengeance Most Fowl
The fact thatWallace and Gromit characterskeep returning to this central theme underscores how central it is to the overall emotional throughline of the franchise. At the core of the shorts and films is the friendship between Wallace and Gromit. A classic “man and his dog” bond that’s been expanded to fit a world of criminal penguins,Wallace & Gromithas repeatedly explored the importance that friendship plays in their lives.Vengeance Most Fowlbrings back the emotional strife Gromit has felt at being shunted out of Wallace’s life and makes it a key element of the new film.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Flips A Major Aspect Of Their Previous Adventures
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a terrific new installment to a beloved franchise, flipping an element used in a previous movie.
For much ofVengeance Most Fowl, Gromit is completely unaware that (through some inventive hacking) Feathers McGraw is the one controlling the Norbots. His tension with the little machines stems from them just being the latest example of Wallace phoning in their friendship and shifting their connection to unfeeling robots.That makes the ending of the film particularly sweet, as Wallace has not only adjusted to pay more attention to Gromit, but the dog has made peace with the Norbots. It gives the otherwise stand-alone entries in the series a deeper emotional connection toWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Cast
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl features the beloved duo as they confront a “smart” invention gone rogue. When an autonomous gnome hints at larger schemes by a vengeful adversary, Gromit must navigate perilous challenges to protect Wallace and prevent a threat that could end their inventive escapades forever.
