Wallace and Gromit, the two icons of British animation, live up to their legendary status in a virtual reality context that smartly allows the viewer to sort of step into the shoes of the franchise’s animators.
As we wait for the new Wallace & Gromit feature film to reach our screens (first announced in 2022, it’s due in 2024 on Netflix internationally, with the BBC getting first dibs in the UK), one way to maintain brand awareness is a new VR project involving Aardman’s beloved animated duo, unveiled at the Venice Film Festival as part of the Venice Immersive sidebar.
Specifically, Wallace & Gromit in The Grand Getaway is part of the section’s competitive strand, which speaks to somewhat loftier ambitions for this interactive experience that is aimed mainly at adult fans of the franchise (the 60-minute running time and slightly demanding setup might be a deterrent for younger viewers).
The premise is very simple: Wallace, the eccentric, cheese-loving inventor, and Gromit, his brilliant and trusted canine companion, are planning a vacation, and decide to use their old rocket (from the very first W&G short A Grand Day Out) to get to their destination as quickly as possible. Throughout the two chapters, the viewer, equipped with a headset and controllers, must help either Wallace or Gromit with various tasks, essentially solving small puzzles to advance the story. Assistance comes in the form of BERYL, a new invention voiced by British actress/comedienne Miriam Margolyes (Wallace’s lines are supplied by his current voice actor Ben Whitehead, while Gromit remains silent as usual).
Now, full disclosure: this writer didn’t get to experience the adventure in its complete form, as the version available for the press preview day had a minor bug that made it necessary to skip ahead to Chapter 2 instead of completing the very last task at the end of Chapter 1. That said, the technical incident didn’t have that big an impact on the enjoyment factor, a key component when having to spend an hour being an active participant in the virtual, almost 60-degree environment.
That The Grand Getaway succeeds on the entertainment level is mainly due to the painstaking attention to detail in recreating the world of Wallace and Gromit, specifically the interiors of their house at 62 West Wallaby Street in Wigan (a real city in the Greater Manchester area). As mentioned previously, the main reference point is the very first short, where the duo traveled to the moon thinking it was made of cheese, and fans will have no trouble recognizing the cozy little place the inventor and his dog call home. Gromit’s wordless expressiveness is also retained, as is Wallace’s charming Yorkshire accent (this writer still shudders at the thought it was once suggested the character, then voiced by famed UK sitcom actor Peter Sallis, be reassigned to a bigger name for international marketing purposes). Julian Nott, the series’ regular composer, also contributed to the score.
This sort of VR experience is also particularly well suited for a Wallace & Gromit story because, by giving the viewer something to do with their hands (on screen, the controllers take the shape of one of Wallace’s famous contraptions), it reinforces the tactile aspect associated with Aardman’s lifelong plasticine aesthetic, effectively allowing us to manipulate the space the way animators would manipulate props and characters, one tiny gesture at a time, for the stop-motion films. A more passive approach would simply highlight the digital nature of proceedings, robbing the tale of its uniquely Aardman spirit in the process.
While not an instant classic like previous iterations of the franchise, it’s an efficient way to spend time with two popular characters the audience can’t ever get quite enough of. And here’s hoping at least one element of the experience is retained for future films: Miriam Margolyes’ no-nonsense delivery is a natural fit for this world, and BERYL would make for a good addition to the core group beyond the confines of this augmented reality installment.
Directors: Finbar Hawkins, Bram Ttwheam
Screenplay: Finbar Hawkins
Cast: Ben Whitehead, Miriam Margolyes
Music: Michael Csa?nyi-Wills, Julian Nott
Production Companies: Aardman Animations, No Ghost, Meta, Atlas V
World Sales: Antoine Cayrol (Astrea)
Venue: Venice Film Festival (Venice Immersive)
In English
60 minutes
