Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is out, and it’s, well…a bit of a letdown despite my excitement upon watching the trailer.

Twenty-three years since its predecessor, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, picks up at the end of the first film. The chickens live on a secluded piece of land on the other side of a lake. In this newfound paradise, Ginger and Rocky raise their daughter Molly, who yearns for adventure. After seeing a blue van with a chicken inside a bucket pass by from across the lake, Molly is motivated to leave her home and learn about the bucket. Unfortunately, the little one bit off much more than she could chew.

Initial Thoughts

There isn’t anything horrendously wrong with this film. The claymation has always been a point of pride at Aardman, and it shines in this film. The humor was just as dry as ever, earning well-deserved chuckles. However, the story is this film’s biggest downfall. 

There were a lot of missed opportunities to develop the story into something engaging. This shortcoming makes it something to have on in the background instead of sitting down and watching it. The film centers on Molly as our protagonist. She’s brave and naive about the ways of the world due to Ginger and Rocky sheltering her from the dangers of their past. Once Molly discovers about Rocky and Ginger’s past, she’s envious of their adventures and wishes to explore the world. This perfectly set up a great character arc for Molly. Unfortunately, the focus turns to Ginger, leaving Molly’s character development to stagnate. 

Once Molly leads us to the main antagonist and sets up the stakes, she is pushed out of the limelight for Ginger and the gang to take the lead. The rest of the film plays out similarly to the first film, with the gang taking down Mrs. Tweedy’s operation with innovative solutions. 

 At the end of the film, Molly shows up as a part of the team. She’s ready to take on the next adventure. This leaves me wondering how she grappled with learning that she’s food for humans and that others like her are at the mercy of humans. 

What About Mrs. Tweedy?

Melisha Tweedy returns, revolutionizing fast food in the form of instantly processed chicken nuggets. While it’s not integral to the film, we don’t learn how Ms. Tweedy survived. It’s not essential to the narrative, but I would’ve liked to know. However, the idea that Ms.Tweedy survived out of sheer spite, divorced her husband, and married a rich man to fund her long-awaited revenge scheme against chickens is much funnier. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, it is an okay film to watch if you’re looking for something to pass the time. Especially if you don’t want to think too hard about what you’re watching. The animation is fantastic; the jokes are funny, but the overall story lacks a lot of what made the first film special. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is now streaming on Netflix.