Flushed Away

Devotees of the slightly rumpled, very British style that marked previous Aardman Animations efforts such as Chicken Run and the Wallace & Gromit films may be somewhat dismayed by the fact that while the characters in Flushed Away speak with English accents and resemble the British studio's traditional clay figurines, the animation is computer-generated by DreamWorks of Hollywood (rather than the usual stop-motion technique), the pace is far more frantic, and the humor is somewhat cruder than usual (witness the title). But while the fit isn't perfect, the film is surprisingly engaging, with the British whimsicality happily trumping the American tendency toward empty flashiness. The plot revolves around a pampered pet mouse flushed into the London sewer system, where he discovers both a bustling rodent community and romance, before mustering the courage to face a villainous toad scheming to destroy this underground utopia. Boasting a slew of colorful supporting characters—including a gaggle of musically-inclined slugs that interrupt the action periodically with singing commentary—the film also features fine voice work from Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, and Kate Winslet, among others. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by directors David Bowers and Sam Fell, a 14-minute “Build a Slug” featurette, “The Music of Flushed Away” (9 min.), “Meet the Cast” (9 min.), “Learn to Draw Roddy” (2 min.), two “Slug Songs” music videos, “A Maze of Pipes” DVD game, DVD-ROM features (including 21 games and challenges), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a winning animated family flick.] (F. Swietek)