Chicken Run 2000

In the rolling hills of Yorkshire’s countryside, a peculiar menagerie of hens inhabits an egg farm, eerily reminiscent of a prisoner-of-war camp. The tyrannical Mrs Tweedy and her submissive husband, Mr Tweedy, rule over this fowl populace with an iron fist, slaughtering any bird that fails to meet the expectations of their egg-laying quotas. Led by the fiery Ginger, the hens consistently concoct ingenious plans to escape, only to be thwarted at every turn by the Tweedys’ watchful eyes. Mr Tweedy’s suspicions about organized resistance among the chickens are dismissed by his wife, who is instead consumed by the farm’s meager profits.

One fateful night, a charismatic American rooster named Rocky Rhodes (played by) crashes onto the coop’s perimeter fence, his wing badly sprained in the process. The hens, taking pity on the stricken bird, nurse him back to health and conceal his presence from the Tweedys, who are eager to claim a hefty reward for his return. Ginger, inspired by Rocky’s aerial exploits, begs him to impart his flying expertise to her and the other hens, threatening to expose their secret if he refuses. Rocky begrudgingly agrees to provide training sessions, and the hens’ hopes of escape take flight.

However, just as it seems that freedom is within reach, Mrs Tweedy’s plans for a chicken pie-making factory are revealed, complete with a contraption designed to churn out succulent pies. The Tweedys’ decision to increase the hens’ food rations and ignore their dwindling egg production is seen by Ginger as a clear indication of their sinister intentions: fattening the flock for slaughter. Following a heated disagreement between Ginger and Rocky, the latter organizes a morale-boosting dance party that not only lifts the hens’ spirits but also showcases his own remarkable recovery from injury.

Ginger’s insistence that Rocky demonstrate his flying prowess is met with resistance when Mr Tweedy completes the pie-making machine and decides to put Ginger herself through a test run. Fortunately, Rocky saves her from certain doom and sabotages the machine, buying them time to warn the flock and concoct an escape plan from the farm.

As the morning light creeps over the horizon, Ginger’s world comes crashing down as she discovers Rocky has vanished, leaving behind a tantalizing snippet of a poster revealing his true nature: a mere mortal entangled in a “chicken cannonball” act, bereft of any aerial abilities. This devastating revelation is tempered only by the stirring tales of aerial derring-do spun by elderly rooster Fowler, a veteran of the Royal Air Force. Inspired by these yarns and driven by desperation, Ginger sets her sights on building an aircraft to escape the farm’s confines. Meanwhile, Rocky finds himself drawn back to the farm like a moth to flame, his conscience pricked by the sight of Mrs Tweedy’s tantalizing billboard advertising her signature chicken pies.

As chaos ensues, Ginger rallies the flock to construct their flying machine while Mr Tweedy busies himself repairing the pie-making contraption. The chickens’ ingenuity ultimately prevails, and Fowler is persuaded to take the helm as they prepare for liftoff. However, just as all seems set fair, Mrs Tweedy intervenes, ordering her husband to corral the flock for the machine’s deadly purpose. Undeterred, the plucky fowl subdue their would-be captors and complete their aircraft. As the plane hurtles towards takeoff, Mr Tweedy attempts a last-ditch effort to thwart their escape, but Ginger’s quick thinking saves the day.

As the machine soars into the sky, Rocky returns just in time to foil Mrs Tweedy’s nefarious plans and hold up the ramp, allowing Ginger to join him in mid-air. The loving pair grasp the runway lights as they disappear into the distance, pursued by an axe-wielding Mrs Tweedy. With a clever trick, Ginger sends her pursuer tumbling into the pie machine, triggering a catastrophic explosion that sends gravy flying in all directions.

Victory in hand, the flock celebrates their triumph over the dastardly Tweedys while Ginger and Rocky share a tender moment, sealing their love as they find refuge on an idyllic bird sanctuary. As the seasons pass, the chickens settle into their new home, and the star-crossed pair start building a life together. Meanwhile, Nick and Fetcher, two enterprising rats who’ve been instrumental in the fowl’s escape, become embroiled in a spirited debate over whether to begin their own egg farm using chicken or egg as the catalyst.