FLUSHED AWAY Film Review - 12/11/06

Unlike a lot of the current crop of CGI film efforts this production oozes sheer class and quality with a veritable who's who of British talent on show with the likes of Ian McKellan and Bill Nighy. Leading the show is Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet with the sinister French mercenary played by Jean Reno (Who else?) as the hitman Le Frog in a piece of inspired casting. Cropping up along the way we also get Andy Serkis and Shane Ritchie, with Kathy Burke, David Suchet & Miriam Margolyes. Spot on vocal talent and a classy story put this feature on the up - Unlike the abysmal dirge of "Chicken Run" - This production by Aardman and Dreamworks actually delivers, harking back to the visual style of "Dangermouse" and "Count Duckula" you can see Peter Lord's pedigree touch on everything.
Initially pitched as a pirate adventure that idea was pooh-poohed by Dreamworks as "pirates" wasn't a seller (i.e.) this was before "Pirates Of The Caribbean" hit big time! So with a few changes we get "Flushed Away" the story of an upper-class rat who ends in the sewers and discovers a dire threat from The Toad to the rat city below ground. Visually stunning in a coleslaw tub of colours across the rainbow the background detail and inventiveness is one to watch as various "in-jokes" and various movie homages and visual jokes whizz past the screen in seconds in a blink-and-you've-missed-them fashion.
The clever nature of this product makes me forgive Aardman/Dreamworks for the failure of "Chicken Run" and this is already added to the top of my DVD list. The humorous asides and singing sketches send the film into a spiral of speedy chases and jokes as our heroes attempt the impossible in saving the city and it's inhabitants. Every scene is packed to bursting with jokes and funny one-liners the scale of this must run into the hundreds as something is always going on - You just need to notice it. Not only an intelligent movie for adults but will appeal to children of all ages as well. Sheer Classic written all over it!