After directing Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit and writing Shaun the Sheep, the key character of Aardman Studios that is Nick Park is now tackling Cro Man.With barely 200,000 admissions at the box office in France during its first week of operation, it is fashionable to put a spotlight on this very nice little animated film.
On the casting side, we find among the original voices: Eddie Redmayne (A Wonderful History of Time, Fantastic Beasts), Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) and Tom Hiddleston (Avengers, Crimson Peak). Also noteworthy is Pierre Niney (Yves Saint-Laurent, La Promesse de l'Aube) who lends his voice to the character of Doug in the French version. Cro Man (Early Man in VO) takes place in prehistoric times. So it's the story of Doug, a brave caveman and his best friend Crochon, who unite to save their tribe from a powerful enemy.
So far nothing extraordinary at the level of the synopsis. However, what makes the first strength of this new feature film in stop motion is its communication. Indeed, nowadays and especially with blockbusters, we are beaten ears of teasers, multiple trailers and TV spots, while sometimes, in all honesty, we could gladly do without them as they reveal the film in almost its entirety. As for Cro Man, the synopsis and the trailer have remained subtle without revealing too much : we are given a duel between two ages that are that of stone and that of bronze, one being of course less advanced than the other and being brought to its knees.
It is also on this postulate that the great metaphor of the film is built because indeed, through its main theme, Cro Man points directly to nothing less than the industrialization of our modern societies, the revolutions that are at the origin of it, not to mention the submission of certain local populations to achieve it during the conquest of a "new" territory ( evoking dark periods in our history) as well as the impact of all this on nature. And finally, while we expect deceit and a merciless physical fight, we are served on a platter the surprise of a football duel.
Then settles for good the famous funny and offbeat style that we know at Aardman Studios, in addition to these clay characters to which we quickly attach and which make, without a doubt, a beautiful trademark. From some gags sometimes classic but effective, we move on to very good anachronistic valves on the whole film and a big parody of the sports world. We can also highlight many references of all kinds, whether sporting, literary, cinematographic or historical, through dialogues and a quality staging that, without a doubt, will make more than one laugh. A real upheaval after the silent, but no less funny, Shaun the Sheep.
In summary, Cro Man is a film whose scenario can be considered simple and predictable in some aspects, but which does not prevent it from fulfilling its specifications correctly and being full of humor. Traits that will not fail to please young and old children, especially when you add a "feel good" soundtrack that will surely put you in a good mood. The British film,released on February 7, is still in your cinemas.
