Weekend Review – “Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death”

The latest Wallace and Gromit short is now available.

Cast and Crew Information

Peter Sallis as Wallace
Sally Lindsay as Piella
Melissa Collier as Fluffles
Sarah Laborde as Bake O Lite Singer

Written by Nick Park and Bob Baker
Directed by Nick Park

Availability Information

It is available on DVD either individually or in a a box set with the four shorts and the cracking contraptions segments. It’s also available on Blu-Ray on a single disc with the same content as the DVD box set.

Premise

Wallace’s concern about a baker-targeting serial killer is forgotten when he meets the woman of his dreams. Gromit is less thrilled.

High Point

It’s a tough call between the allusions to “Ghost,” “Aliens” and the 1966 “Batman.”

Low Point

This latest outing has a script on par with “A Grand Day Out” moreso than the later works. It just wasn’t the home run I’ve come to expect.

The Review

The originality is weak. This is the third title in a row with the same basic structure, following “A Close Shave” and “Curse of the Were Rabbit.” That wasn’t as much of a problem with the feature film, but this is of a slow enough pace that the viewer has time to reflect and make the connections. I give it 3 out of 6.

The animation is great, as always, with hot air balloon and flour effects that are impressive for the medium. Both dogs are highly expressive. I give it 6 out of 6.

The story is well formed and told. The premise, at its most basic level, is just so similar to the last two outings that the slower pace means it fails to engage like it should. If this were your first Wallace and Gromit experience, this wouldn’t seem as problematic. I give it 4 out of 6.

The voice acting is what we’ve come to expect. The voices are well cast and only go over the top for comedic effect. I give it 5 out of 6.

The production is great. This is one area that Aardman never fails in. I give it 6 out of 6.

The emotional response is weak. If not for the pop culture references, I wouldn’t have had any truly strong response at all. If I were to watch a Wallace and Gromit marathon, I’d watch this after “A Grand Day Out” and before “The Wrong Trousers,” just to space things out and keep the quality escalating from short to short. I give it 3 out of 6.

Overall, it’s not bad, but not as good as I expected based on previous outings. I give it 4 out of 6.

In total, Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death receives 31 out of 42.