JACKBOOTS ON WHITEHALL is a playmation/ stopmotion ‘comedy’ that revolves around an alternative Great Britian during the second World War. Featuring an all star vocal cast that includes, and wait for this; ** deep breath **; Ewan McGregor, Stephen Merchant, Alan Cumming, Timothy Spall, Richard O’Brien, Richard Griffiths, Tom Wilkinson, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant and Dominic West.
The Nazis are planning an invasion of Britian, led by Hitler (in a dress), played by Alan Cumming. Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall) is three days away from retirement when said invasion begins, so he gathers everyone up and sends them to Scot Land… Hmm. Meanwhile, down in deepest, darkest rural Kent, farmboy Chris (voiced by Scot Ewan McGregor), who cannot fight for his country officially as his hands are too big, is trying to win the affections of Daisy (Rosamund Pike). When everything else fails to help in tacking the Nazi’s bombing the hell out of London, it’s up to Chris and his country bumpkin buddies to step in and save the country.
So, how do I best describe JACKBOOTS ON WHITEHALL. I always hate to say a film is a cross between this and this and this, but to give you an idea this is best described as TEAM AMERICA meets any of the Carry On films, meets Dad’s Army, meets Thomas The Tank Engine. The Thomas The Tank Engine reference is referring to the minature puppetry and life less models used in the film. TEAM AMERICA is mentioned because of the similarities in war-like plot lines, while the Carry On reference is due to the awful humour littered throughout, and Dad’s Army– well, I’ll leave it at that. Tally-ho old chap, yada yada yada….
I understand what the filmmakers are trying to do here, I really do. I just can’t say that it was particularly my cup of tea. I didn’t find it at all funny, and in places I thought it was just a touch offensive (Nazi banners hanging from Big Ben etc). Most of all, I was just bored watching it, and I hate to say it as I know a lot of effort would have gone into the making of it. I just did not connect to the film in any way.
I don’t tend to read other reviews of films, particularly when I have to review a film myself, but I was curious to see what other people thought of JACKBOOTS ON WHITEHALL. It appears that the film first played at the Edinburgh Film Festival to sold out audiences, and it has gained some pretty positive reviews across the Internet. Equally there are negative reviews for it too, so this does secure the notion that it is possibly a film which you will either love, or at the other extreme, desise it with all your might.
Unfortunately, I was the latter.
GRADE: D
Extras:
- Interviews with the Crew
- Behind the Scenes Footage
- The Swastikas
- Bad Day to be a Nazi
- Hitler’s Rat Pack
- The Nazi Hotties
- Explosions
- Voice-Overs
JACKBOOTS ON WHITEHALL is released on DVD in the UK on Monday 24th January 2011.
