Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 13, 2022

After taking a box office dive with 2018’s “Early Man,” Aardman Animation is back to more reliable entertainment with “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon.” Shaun the Sheep has enjoyed a vast amount of exposure over the years, doing especially well on television, while his jump to the big screen in 2015’s “Shaun the Sheep Movie” proved the character could do very well in the cinematic realm, supplying silent comedy-style slapstick over a longer runtime while still remaining fresh and exciting. Now comes the challenge of a sequel, and the production team looks to infuse some of Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.” for “Farmageddon,” which returns to the mischief of Shaun, Farmer John, and Bitzer, but adds an alien visitation element to increase comedic potential and offer a more direct emotional range. The filmmaking labor produces a better picture, with the follow-up scoring big on laughs and heartwarming elements while remaining true to the brand’s love of silliness.

It’s just another day on Farmer John’s rural property, with Bitzer the dog trying to keep order, remaining vigilant when it comes to policing Shaun the Sheep and his fellow animals. Embracing all the mischief he can get, Shaun tries to pull off a pizza prank, only to find the delivered pies have already been eaten. Following the evidence, Shaun discovers Lu-La, a young alien who’s accidentally come to Earth and lost her way. Befriending the visitor, Shaun attempts to keep up with Lu-La's insatiable curiosity about local life and junk food, and her presence triggers a response from The Ministry of Alien Detection, with Agent Red dedicating her life to finding and studying creatures from outer space. Learning of Lu-La's family life back on her home planet, Shaun sets out to locate a special navigation device and return his friend to her impounded ship.

It’s business as usual for Shaun on Farmer John’s property, filling his days with ways to drive Bitzer crazy, undertaking all sorts of stunts and foolishness to directly rile up the guard dog. Bitzer keeps order to the best of his ability, frequently posting signs outlawing what Shaun and his fellow sheep are up to. It’s comedic interplay that’s a staple of the franchise, with Shaun figuring out ways to outwit Bitzer, while Farmer John remains attentive to his creature comforts, unaware of the battle going on around him. The production dreams up a lively first act, reconnecting with Shaun’s silliness, Bitzer’s frustrations, and Farmer John’s obliviousness, soon adding Lu-La, a tiny alien ready to experience Earth, bonding with Shaun as they try to figure out how to get the little one back to her ship.

Directors Will Becher and Richard Phelan keep “Farmageddon” moving along at top speed, squeezing in as many sight gags as possible, playing around with wordplay and physical comedy, while there are nerdly references galore, including “Doctor Who” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” The feature is immensely playful, tracking Lu-La's exploration of local delights, including a trip to a grocery store, reuniting with pizza and gorging on soda and candy, experiencing a glorious sugar rush. Back on the farm, the clueless owner is prepared to cash in on alien excitement, constructing a tourist trap for paying customers, including the creation of a stage show. And Bitzer has his adventure, soon mistaken for a real alien by Agent Red after a costume mishap, dragged into her secret facility for study. “Farmageddon” has a lot to keep itself busy, and Aardman’s masterful animation remains as vivid as ever, securing delightful character designs and distinct body language, keeping younger viewers invested in separate quests for the sheep, human, and dog.

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a colorful look at the world of "Farmageddon," offering a bright palette filled with all kinds of earthbound and alien characters and objects. Characters are distinct, from Shaun's deep blacks to the blueness of Lu-La, and farmland tours deliver sharp hues, including rich greenery. Detail is excellent, exploring the define textures of the animation, with wooly softness most compelling. Wider shots retain depth, and the production's attention to decoration is preserved, making for many pauseable moments. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression has its limitations, with mild banding detected during the viewing experience.

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix retains a cartoon approach, offering an active listening event that does particularly well with panning effects and channel separation, adding plenty of immersive activity that often carries circular. "Farmageddon" is a movie without dialogue, but assorted grunts and groans are distinct, delivering clear character reactions. Scoring selections support with authority, maintaining sharp instrumentation and position. Low-end enjoys some rumble with madcap antics and destruction. Atmospherics are appreciable.

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "How to Draw Shaun" (2:48, HD) offers an art lesson from an Aardman Animation story editor.

• "How to Draw Lu-La" (2:42, HD) is a second art class, focusing on easy alien shapes.

• "Lu-La Slime Time" (1:30, HD) presents a recipe for the sticky stuff, which is housed in a decorated glass jar.

• "25 Years of 'Shaun the Sheep'" (3:58, HD) celebrates the history of the character and his growing appeal, featuring interviews with director Nick Park, executive producers David Sproxton and Peter Lord, directors Will Becher and Richard Phelan, producer Paul Kewley, and director/co-writer Richard Starzak.

• "Get Crafty with Shaun and Lu-La" (4:07, HD) details how to create Christmas ornaments and Easter eggs that resemble "Shaun the Sheep" characters.

• "Making 'Farmageddon'" (3:16, HD) is a brief summary of production effort, featuring interviews with directors Will Becher and Richard Phelan. Most interesting here is a chance to see how the team uses live-action footage to offer a visual reference for the animation.

• "Super Natural Wool" (1:02, HD) is a commercial featuring Shaun.

• And a Trailer (1:55, HD) is included.

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Farmageddon" has villainy in Agent Red, who maintains pursuit throughout the third act, but there's more to her story, with the screenplay adding dimension to her alien obsession. Softness is also found with Lu-La, who misses her family back home, sharing her life with Shaun via "mind meld" communication, giving him the inspiration to collect the ship, find the device, and return the visitor to her parents. There's suspense and tomfoolery, but also a sense of sweetness in the friendship, boosting the urgency of the mission. "Farmageddon" isn't offering much in the way of originality, but it excels with sincerity, with the production working overtime to make an engaging animation experience with big laughs and kindness, expanding the "Shaun the Sheep" world without destroying its core appeal.