Master Wattles is a rip-roaring story with Slim, the weasel, and Glutton, his sidekick, chasing chickens because…well, hey, a chicken dinner sounds great! Who doesn’t like chicken, after all? Slim is the mastermind of all their plots, but unfortunately for Slim and Glutton, the plots just never quite pan out. Slim may be smarter than Glutton, but that’s not saying much! Poor old Glutton always takes the brunt of Slim’s frustration as Slim smacks him a few times and calls him “Moron” and “Idiot”.
They pursue Master Wattles, a master in martial arts, but Free Range, his devoted student, usually shows up to help his master. There’s a lot of comedy in the movie, and it opens with a strong wind and Slim and Glutton being banged up on on the tree branches as they hold on for dear life. Slim and Glutton definitely take more falls in this adventure than the characters they are after. The movie sure makes a good point…crime does not pay!
In one nice plot twist, Small Fry, who was pursued by Slim and Glutton, actually helps save them both when she feels sympathy for them after seeing Glutton attempt to save Slim’s life. Some of the physical comedy moments features Slim and Glutton, upset with each other, and throwing plates at one another. It’s played for laughs and you won’t know whether to feel sorry for them or to just simply laugh–actually, you “will” know and the answer is to laugh! In a cool scene after Glutton is beat up he holds a cross.
The nice themes include showing devotion to a teacher and that some characters, like Slim and Glutton, just don’t know when to quit…even when they’re licked before they start! They ceaselessly attempt to bring home a chicken dinner. There are some mildly violent moments with none of it to be taken seriously and a bit of name calling. Therefore, we are presenting this nicely animated movie our Dove seal for All Ages.
The Dove Take:
If you can get through this zany and funny movie without laughing or at least smiling, you deserve a prize!
