Ivan Radford | On 02, Mar 2025

Director: Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham
Cast: Ben Whitehead, Peter Kay, Lauren Patel, Reece Shearsmith
Certificate: U

It’s been 32 years since a penguin donned a rubber glove, pretended to be a chicken and then used a pair of stolen mechanical trousers to steal a priceless diamond. Now, Feathers McGraw is back on our screens – and it’s worth p-p-p-p-picking up the remote to watch.

McGraw, of course, was the slippery nemesis of Wallace and Gromit, everyone’s favourite plasticine duo. The penguin shacked up as Wallace’s lodger, while plotting to take advantage of the clueless inventor’s engineering wizardry – and evading the watchful eyes of Wallace’s loyal dog sidekick, Gromit. The result was one of the most iconic animated short films in history, not least because of the inspired action sequence at the end involving a toy train set.

This feature-length sequel sees Feathers – sentenced to imprisonment at the zoo – find an innovative way to break out, hacking into Wallace’s latest creation: the smart-gnome, Norbot. We begin with the unveiling of the diminutive gardening and DIY-loving gizmo, who ruins Gromit’s beautifully sculpted backyard in a blur of gears and geometrical precision. (“Neat and tidy!” is his chirpy catchphrase, given just the right amount of irritating grate by Reece Shearsmith.)

Needless to say, things go from neat and tidy to chaotic and tragic, as Wallace is distracted by tech and forgets to look after his best friend – and Norbot is set to evil mode by the calculating Feathers. (The menu of personality options alone is a genius visual gag, although not as good as a newsreader’s name that appears halfway through)

Directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham craft some enjoyably madcap farce from Aardman’s always-tactile plasticine – the film is at its best when finding ingenious ways to repurpose everyday objects, from leaf blowers to turnips. A climax involving a canal boat is a wonderfully British set-piece, complete with aqueduct and a smart smattering of CGI effects.

The voice cast are also on top form, from Ben Whitehead gently stepping into the shoes of the late Peter Sallis to Peter Kay and Lauren Patel having fun as respectively incompetent and overlooked police officers.

The result is a sweet, family-friendly outing that proves Aardman hasn’t lost its signature blend of wit and heart. It’s not as ambitious or surprising as earlier Wallace and Gromit outings, but that cosy familiarity is all part of the charm.

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