Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

 Review

Common Sense Media says

A funny and charming movie for the whole family.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the movie includes some mildly scary images of the were-rabbit's transformation -- first in shadow and then in person. These images follow the werewolf pattern, with teeth, fur, paws, and snout indicating the beast's emergence. The townsfolk and one hunter in particular pursue the were-rabbit, with guns and garden tools (again, following classic horror conventions, as in Frankenstein). Characters drink at a party, and make occasional bawdy, Benny-Hillish sexual references, most of which will go over little ones' heads.


What's the story?

Wallace and Gromit run a pest-riddance company, Anti-Pesto. Each night, they're alerted by the elaborate security system the townspeople have attached to their prized vegetable gardens, and go forth in their well-outfitted truck to capture (but never kill) the offending creatures -- typically rodents and rabbits. Wallace then deposits the animals in cages in his basement, where he keeps them supplied with carrots and lettuce. Wallace's desire to reprogram the bunnies so they won't desire veggies leads to an experiment that goes awry, and soon a giant were-rabbit is stomping through the town at night, ravaging the squashes and pumpkins, and threatening to shut down Tottington Hall's annual Giant Vegetable Competition. Wallace and Gromit are on the case.


Is it any good?

 

By turns antic and lovely, WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT is a fitting big screen debut for the beloved claymation stars Wallace (voiced by Peter Sallis) and Gromit (the dog who does not talk, but whose face speaks proverbial and often plaintive volumes). At once a clever send-up of classic horror movies (of 1930s-'40s sort, including Wolfman and Frankenstein), an entertaining assembly of wordplay and visual gags, and even a bit of an insightful character study, the movie reportedly took five years to make, as Nick Park and Steve Box and a crew of hundreds posed each clay figure frame by frame.


What families can talk about

Families can talk about the enduring friendship between Wallace and his dog Gromit. How is this relationship a model of loyalty, trust, and affection set against the conniving and pettiness among the humans? And how is their friendship briefly threatened by Wallace's romantic interest in Lady Tottington (who ends up being a terrific good sport too)? How does the film set up a nice tension between the very cute rabbits who are, admittedly, gobbling up the town's vegetable gardens and the monstrous were-rabbit?


This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
 
yay wallace and gromit
This is a fun family movie, but be warned. In all the reviews I have ever read for this, NONE of them point out that in the end ***WARNING WARNING SPOILER ALERT WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE AAAAAH!*** Wallace almost dies, and he looks dead for a minute, and I remember hearing kids crying in the theater, but then Wallace wakes up at the smell of cheese, so warn your sensitive kids before watching this.

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Parent of 5, 9, and 10 year old
January 5, 2009
 

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Adult
January 28, 2009
 
it deserved the Oscar
yeah, I like the duo. One of my favs in the anmated catagory. A little predictable is all i gotta say against it.

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Teen, 15 years old
September 26, 2009
 
A very good film.
I saw it, and that is great. It has great messages for the family. Though it is based on the Wallace and Gromit line, consumerism isn't an issue. Obviously tastier than the Cloudy with a chance of meat balls movie.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
well done!
I took my 6 yr old son to see this movie and we really enjoyed it together! There is some adult hidden type humor that went over the kid's heads to keep us 'old' people amused (LOL) too, so there's something for everyone. We will be buying the dvd when it's out.

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Parent of 4 and 7 year old
September 26, 2009
 
Halloween Treat for Younger Kids
This is a fall favorite in our house. In this adventure Wallace & Gromit are working as bunny catchers. Rather than kill the bunnies Wallace attempts to reprogram their brains. Wallace's invention backfires and results in his transformation into the were-rabbit. It's has a lot of funny take-offs on classic horror style films without any gore or really scary stuff. The little bunnies crack my kids up and there is a very pro-vegetable message which is always helpful with picky preschoolers in the house.

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Parent of 5 and 7 year old
October 20, 2009
 
Cute Movie!...Claymation a Wonderful Change From All The CGI Out There!
My kids are 6 and 4 years old and we've had this movie for about a year and a half. They really like this movie and so do I! The clay animation is so fun to watch, even if the story might get a tad slow in places. Yes, there is some that British humor that the kids won't get, and some scenes that sensitive kiddos might be frightened by, but all in all it's a very entertaining movie. There is some burping and raspberries blown by the bunnies, if some of the parents want to steer clear of that kind of humor. There is also the matter of the hunter and his gun, the dogs going after each other, Wallace dying but not really dying. My kids have always been fine with everything in the movie, but I have also made a strong point with them that it's only a story, not real. Great flick and highly recommended!

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Teen, 18 years old
April 9, 2008
 

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Teen, 15 years old
October 2, 2009
 
Great Aardman classic, that still makes me laugh today. Children may get scared by dark sinister senes, but otherwise it's a must see.

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
i laughed
Cute!!!!!

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This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
Topics:adventures, friendship, monsters, ghosts, and vampires
Studio:DreamWorks
Director:Nick Park
Cast:Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes
Genre:Family and Kids
Run time:85 minutes
Theatrical release date:October 5, 2005
DVD release date:February 7, 2006
MPAA rating:G
MPAA explanation:all audiences

This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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