Review: Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom – This year’s second best film starring sheep

Directed by Steve Cox, Matthew Walker
Starting Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Nina Sosanya, Paul Whitehouse

5.5/10

Since the sheep’s pumpkin patch is destroyed by an unfortunate accident a few days before Halloween, it falls to Shaun (Justin Fletcher) to try and rescue their upcoming celebration and provide Jack-o’-lanterns. As such, he turns to mad science (thanks to a children’s book he found in the shed) in an attempt to supercharge the growing process. He succeeds beyond his wildest dreams, producing giant specimens overnight. However, he also unleashes an enormous, hirsute monster on town, a fierce cryptid that may be involved in the disappearance of the farmer (John Sparkes).

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is accomplished with all the technical expertise we’ve come to expect from Aardman animation. This studio has built a justly deserved reputation for its claymation over the decades and continues to deliver here. The design continues to impress, especially with the titular Beast that’s brought to loving life here. They also get to dip into the lexicon of classic film horror, allowing them to bring some child-friendly gruesomeness to the screen while expanding their visual repertoire.

This allows a film to pitch its humour to both the adults and the children in the audience (the standardised norm of family films today). The classic horror references flow thick and fast in the introductory minutes of the film, from Michael Jackson’s Thriller to FW Murnau’s Nosferatu. It heavily references Universal’s 1931 Frankenstein as Shaun the Sheep tampers with God’s domain through mad science in a windmill that’s really reminiscent of the climax of the classic film. For the younger audience, there’s all the colour and chaos you’d expect to keep them entertained through wacky hijinks. Both age demographics are able to enjoy the nonverbal gags that are set up for the film, albeit often on a different level.

So, why does it feel so average?

That is a hard question to answer, but Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom reads like it hasn’t quite struck the balance it’s aiming for in its multiple demographics. The general action and plot are pitched too young for its older audience, and the pacing seems a little too slow for the younger audience. Sometimes (especially when you’re not the target audience) it’s good to check the audience’s reaction, and the younger children were restless during this film.

Unlike most films, due to its non-verbal nature, it’s not able to rely on clever dialogue or witty quips to fill the gap. In some ways this feels like it’s stretching the conceit too far, beyond the shorter episode format that the property developed in. Still, it’s something that they’ve achieved before; it’s just here that the results don’t seem as fresh.

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is a passable entry from a venerable animation studio, but far from their best work.

DAVID O’CONNELL