Early Man

The chaps at Aardman Animations are here with another Plasticine romp. Early Man is a fun Stone Age adventure with Football (Soccer) and hi-jinks. Let's see if we can explain it.

In the film's pre-history, the first Football was the meteor that killed the dinosaurs. The Cavemen who found it knew not what it was, except that it was very hot, and passing it around like a hot potato made for a fun game. Years later, Football is worshiped as the "Sacred Game" by Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddleston) and his Bronze Age kingdom. Nooth decides to make a nearby valley the site of a new mine.

That valley is where Dug (Eddie Redmayne) and his Stone Age tribe live. He doesn't take kindly to the invaders and challenges them to a Football match with the valley at stake. The tribe's cluelessness is their own worst enemy. Goona (Maisie Williams), a friendly Bronze Age girl and aspiring Footballer, helps them learn the ropes. How will Nooth react if the Cavemen beat his Bronzemen?

Director Nick Park and his co-writers, Mark Burton and James Higginson, keep things going well for 89 minutes. There's plenty of silliness from the cast to keep kids entertained. A few notable characters include Grubup, a caveman with a pig head and Hognob (Park), an actual pig who acts like a dog. Lord Nooth makes for a funny, snooty villain. But some of the Football humor might not register for American audiences (I got a reference to "Early Man ... U(nited)," though). Its dramatic conflict is a bit light although the tribe's aversion to forced labor is understandable. A few other members of the tribe are just there.

The Plasticine characters look as memorable as their environments. The movement photographed by Dave Alex Riddett is pretty good but the opening sequence is amazing. A cockroach witnessing the meteor's explosion provided another great gag. Harry Gregson-Williams and Tom Howe's score works as both a majestic and light soundtrack.

Early Man is a good start for animated films this year. It's not the best Stone Age parody but it gets things done. This is sure to be fun for kids and Football-savy adults. You might see a preview of Aardman's next adventure, starring Shaun the Sheep, during the trailers. It doesn't have a clear title or release date yet, but that trailer was funny.