Flushed Away (2006)

 

When some people first discovered this one is actually full CG instead of claymation, it felt a bit off. I mean: weren't Aardman Studios the geniuses who handcrafted all their stuff? Turns out, they chose this because water is horrendously difficult to do stop motion-style. Fortunately, the CG is programmed in a way that the typical movement and facial expressions stay the same as with stop motion. Just the action is a bit more - shall we say - out there at times. 

Nevertheless: this one is a lot of fun.

Hugh Jackman is Roddy, a pet rat from a family in Kensington. When he gets flushed down the sewers, he discovers a rat version of London down there and quickly finds he knows nothing of the real world ànd that he is lacking stuff like family and friends. Through shenanigans he is coupled with Rita, who has beef with Toad, a big and vile yet oddly insecure amphibian with a vile plan. 

The fact that Toad is a gleefully theatrical Ian McKellen works wonders, by the way. 

Rita and Roddy get away with a master cable, so now the hunt is on for Toad to get the cable back and for Roddy to return home, even if he might learn a few things along the way.

It's going to be obvious why this one is a lot of fun. The animation is once again off the charts and feels more tangible than most others, because the clay effects were still incorporated. The voice cast is absolutely stellar, even if the side characters may get the most laughs. There's little denying that the coupling of Andy Serkis and Bill Nighy as two henchrats Spike and Whitey is sidesplitting, or that Jean Reno is audibly having way too much fun with his hired killer Le Frog. 

What does come through on repeated viewings is the slapstick, which is mostly on point. Also: quite a lot of violence against rat testicles if you think about it. Maybe a subtle commentary on the rate at which they reproduce? 

Anyway, 'Flushed Away' is fun, colourful and fast-paced to a T. It isn't Aardman's most 'provocative' work or maybe even not their most memorable, but it sure as all heck is a jolly good time regardless.