Chicken Little Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Panic
On November 4th, we'll see who's chicken.
Chicken Little. Movie Big.
This time the sky really is falling.
When it comes to saving the world, it helps to be a little chicken.
A hero will emerge
The end is near.
After Chicken Little causes widespread panic—when he mistakes a falling acorn for a piece of the sky—the young chicken is determined to restore his reputation. But just as things are starting to go his way, a real piece of the sky lands on his head. Chicken Little and his band of misfit friends, Abby Mallard (aka Ugly Duckling), Runt of the Litter and Fish Out of Water, attempt to save the world without sending the town into a whole new panic.
| Zach Braff | Chicken Little |
| Garry Marshall | Buck Cluck |
| Don Knotts | Mayor Turkey Lurkey |
| Patrick Stewart | Mr. Woolensworth |
| Amy Sedaris | Foxy Loxy |
| Steve Zahn | Runt of the Litter |
| Joan Cusack | Abby Mallard |
| Wallace Shawn | Principal Fetchit |
| Harry Shearer | Dog Announcer |
| Fred Willard | Melvin - Alien Dad |
| Catherine O'Hara | Tina - Alien Mom |
| Patrick Warburton | Alien Cop |
| Adam West | Ace - Hollywood Chicken Little |
| Mark Walton | Goosey Loosey |
| Mark Dindal | Morkubine Porcupine/Coach |
| Mark Dindal |
5.80 out of 10 (13223 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Expected to hate it
posted on 20 Aug 2009I really and truly expected to hate this movie from the trailers. I was out-voted by my husband and my son and my own inate desire to catch as much animation as I can. I still came this close to watching another film when we got to the multiplex.Somewhere along the way, it became assumed that animated movies are just for children. Ummm...no. Not even Disney films. Early Disney was actually scary for young kids. I still have a scar where my sister bit me during Pinnochio.It was pretty obvious from the trailers that this movie was not going to be a "little kids' movie". And, it's not. There's certainly enough in there to keep them occupied. But, are they going to really appreciate the visual puns such as the Bull that owns the China Shop and the bird that kept running into the window of said shop. There was so much of that running in the background throughout, that I was rolling with laughter.As for the music, IT'S NOT A MUSICAL!! The film score/character development had 70s songs in it. Big whoop. If you don't know the music, it's not going to kill you and you don't really miss anything. If you do know the music, then it's an added layer, especially one bit of monologue in the later part of the film.It did have more the feel of Warner Brothers than Disney which I don't necessarily think is a bad thing as I was always more of a Bugs Bunny than Mickey Mouse fan.And, as everybody has agreed, the voice casting was superb even for the minor one or two liner characters. The characterizations were pretty evenly developed. A couple of the background characters were a riot.It wasn't trying to be deep or meaningful. It wasn't trying to pander to the tots (and, I do not particularly recall a whole lot of potty humor...that comment stopped me cold when I read it). It was a fun little flick. And as such it succeeded
Chicken Little to recommend it......
posted on 06 Aug 2009It's computer animated, its well-done, it even has funny characters but, it just falls pretty flat for the most part.There's nothing terribly wrong with it but we have seen it all before with the likes of Shrek etc. Chicken.. has a terrible reliance for much of its humour on ripping off other movie scenes. In moderation this can be quite funny, but Chicken goes overboard with one after the other, culminating in a War of the Worlds rip-off that occupies much of the last third of the movie.I've noticed before in many other movies that, when the most interesting character in a film ISN'T the main character, then something is very smelly in the celluloid pantry. In this case most of the characters, though OK and likable, are all very similar in terms of prominence. No one character stands out (and of course, Chicken Little should). Faced with this lack of a clear "hero" the audience is left looking for a stand-out character. And when that character fails to be Chicken Little, you know the balance is wrong. In this instance, I found the Fish to be the most entertaining character, taking up a kind of "Mork" role amongst the group.Needless to say, when the main character isn't the one you focus on, then you pay only limited attention to the story and what's going on, waiting instead to see what the Fish gets up to.All in all, it's a disappointing movie. Neither hilarious or entertaining enough to keep your interest for long before the attention wanders. Perhaps if you had grown up with the Chicken Little stories it would be different, but I didn't, so..... I was viewing it as just another animated movie.It doesn't stand up well against others of its genre, either. Toy Story, Shrek, Finding Nemo, Robots, Valiant .... all much better films.Of course, the kids may well love it, but for adults it's 80 minutes of your life that you could spend in far better ways.
Wow. This was BAD
posted on 02 Aug 2009First of all, this movie had plenty of great trailers, but when you get to the movie, it's a mess. There are plenty of rip-offs from other movies, including War Of The Worlds, ET, about every baseball movie ever made, and, obviously, the Chicken Little Scenario. This movie has old songs that sound like rats are singing them (Especially the karaoke and the credits). The characters are stupid, the jokes are random and unfunny, and at the end, we get another "Hollywood never messes with the true story" quote. Of course, the story is messed up (Adam West is involved). Please don't see this. It is BAD! It's a mess of animation, and it just doesn't work. Please don't support Disney with something like this. PLEASE!
"I hear some teenagers get a major rush out of stamp-collecting!"
posted on 29 Jul 2009For my family's second official Family Movie Night, we went with Chicken Little. In the movie, Chicken Little is hit in the head and causes a great deal of panic and confusion in the town of Oakey Oak with his claim that the sky is falling. When it appears that it was nothing more than an acorn that hit Chicken Little, he becomes the laughing stock of the town. One year later, still attempting to redeem himself, fate strikes once again when Chicken Little is hit on the head. This time, however, he's got the evidence. Even so, is anyone really going to believe Chicken Little's story of an alien invasion? Going into the movie I had read some of the negative reviews, but wasn't sure whether to believe them or not. I mean, this is Disney after all – how bad can it be? Well the answer is that while Chicken Little isn't the worst movie I've seen recently, it's got way too many problems to call it a winner. Calling it "mediocre" is about the best I can do. While there were a lot of problems I had with the movie, the biggest was with the plot. It just lays there – lifeless. The movie gets off to a good start, but by the time Chicken Little wins the baseball game it becomes quickly apparent that the movie has nothing to offer. The movie's message is handled so ham-fisted that it puts a damper on the whole thing. And who decided to hire Garry Marshall to do the voice of Chicken Little's dad? He's terrible. So I the end, as much as I enjoyed the animation, some of the set-pieces, Don Knotts, and some of the cute characters, they're not near enough to save Chicken Little from the dreaded, unexciting, and mundane 5/10 rating.And for what it's worth, I'm not sure the movie did much better with my 5 year-old. If he likes a movie, he'll usually watch it again as soon as possible. It's been almost three days now and we've had no mention of a re-watch. Instead, he's back to watching Surf's Up.
Overcooked Chicken
posted on 23 Jul 2009If this were from anyone besides Disney, I might be inclined to cut it some slack. But this comes from the same studio which brought us SNOW WHITE, BAMBI, THE LITTLE MERMAID, etc. And they have reached a new low. Even lower than HOME ON THE RANGE. Even lower than ATLANTIS. Or BROTHER BEAR. That's low! I'll get the good out up front...This movie has a couple moments of inspired visual gags. Did anyone notice the bull works in a china shop? And I chuckled lightly a couple times. But overall, this was a case of Dreamworks leading the way and Disney following. This movie had Dreamworks' brand of animation all over it, just not quite as well-drawn. This was mostly apparent in the woefully unfunny self-referential humor. Apparently cartoon-makers think if they throw in a reference to an old movie, the adults in the audience will just bend over laughing in recognition. Um, NO. How many did we have to endure here? WAR OF THE WORLDS, KING KONG, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, THE LION KING...which brings me to a point...If Disney self-references THE LION KING one more time I'm gonna go postal! It should tell them something that the last Disney movie popular enough to reference was from TWELVE YEARS ago!!! I can only thank God that Michael Eisner is finally gone, and that the Disney company regained their souls and decided to reopen the 2-D animation branch and close down some of their animated sequel divisions. Maybe, and that's a BIG maybe at this point, Disney can get back on track and pick up where they left off back in '94. But first we'll have to endure the Eisner leftovers that will be oozing out the next few years.
Just not a very good movie
posted on 05 Jul 2009Chicken Little from Disney was anticipated by critics and moviegoers alike but ultimately turned out to be a rather poor movie. The movie was void of any visible plot and I personally had trouble deciphering how each scene was supposed to tell the nonexistent story. The movie is full of barnyard characters with funny voices including the talents of Patrick Stewart and Don Knotts, but this really doesn't help it too much. There's even has some humor, even though most of it is spread too far in between to keep one's attention. However, I'd have to admit some of the humor is quite tasteful and I found myself laughing. The movie is most definitely qualified for a library rental, but not for paid rental and certainly not for purchase.
OK for the kiddies
posted on 27 Jun 2009Turned the Chicken Little story on it's head, eh? The actual fable is about teaching kids about "Crying wolf", I.e. making up tall tales and the havoc that can create if you're believed. This one is a "heartwarming" tale about how you *should* believe in the little pipsqueaks no matter how preposterous their story, lest you damage their emerging egos. Whatever. There were some decent laughs, but unlike better fare like "Toy Story" or "Shrek" or "Antz" there's really nothing in this one for the grownups to sit through. I'm glad I opted to rent instead of taking the next generation to the theatre.Oh and to any of you women out there, the idea that "Foxy Loxie" is "fixed" by putting a dress on her and turning her into a girly-girl from a baseball-smacking bullying tomboy, should set the cause back 100 years. If only they'd taken away her right to vote, she'd have been just the perfect little lady.
My kids are still talking about it...
posted on 26 Jun 2009I took my two oldest boys, ages 7 and 9, to see this movie on opening weekend. The theater was packed! Obviously a popular choice.
To be honest - we LOVED this movie. Disney has another huge hit. The visuals were astonishing, the jokes were funny, adults will enjoy the movie as well as children, and the plot was terrific with a great message throughout the movie.
Shame on the critics (especially Ebert and Roeper), what movie were they watching?
I enjoyed the movie so much I might fork over the money to go see it in the theater again. We can't wait for this one to come out on DVD!
Chicken Little is an easy target for kids but doesnt serve up that much
posted on 20 Jun 2009Chicken Little, voiced by Zach Braff (Tv's Scrubs, Garden State), rings the bell yelling "The Sky is Falling" but it isnt true, so this upsets the towns folk and makes everyone in town made and his Dad, voiced by Garry Marshall is too. He then tries to impress his Dad by going on the baseball team, in which he wins the game for the team and this makes his Dad proud of him. Then, a piece of the sky does fall into Chicken Little's room and he brings his friends there so they can see as well. Then, they find the mother load....a big spaceship which was hidden like the sky. Soon, Chicken Little screams again that there is "an alien spaceship" and it vanished which enrages the townsfolk more. Then the aliens attack because their son (Kirby) is missing. So Chicken Little and his gang try to flee the on coming alien onslaught in order to bring back the little furry kid. Funny in small does, pointless in some and it's really just for kids...that's if some kids like it. The Porkcupine was cool, he delivered three lines "Yo, No and Whoa!" Also starring the voices of Steve Zahn (Suburbia, Sahara), Joan Cusack (High Fidelity, Grosse Pointe Blank), Fred Willard (A Mighty Wind, Best in Show), Cathrine O'Hara (Home Alone 1&2), Amy Sedaris (Stay, Bewitched), Patrick Warburton (Kronks New Groove, The Venture Bros.), Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: First Contact, MasterMinds), Adam West (Family Guy, Batman), Wallace Shawn (Princess Bride, Melinda and Melinda), Harry Shearer (This Is Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind) and Don Knotts (Pleasantville, Andy Griffith) as Mayor Turkey Lurkey. Even some of the animation kinda gets boring after awhile.
Lot of loud noise but in the end a very loose story.
posted on 20 Jun 2009Take Pixar, take anyone of the Shrek movies, you will find a professionalism that makes these films so enjoyable. Chicken Little on the other hand is amateurish. The storyline is jerky and incoherent. I was looking for a good movie but this is one is for kids Ages 3-6. that's all folks.
finding Nemo meets war of the worlds
posted on 17 Jun 2009As with most other Disney movies, chicken little was a very funny and entertaining movie that my kids could watch again and again. In fact, at 32, so could I. Packed with the funniest parts, poor chicken little has to find a way to convince his town that he is no loser after ringing the alarm bell cos the sky was falling in. He achieves this in excellent fashion with his 'would be if he had the courage' girlfriend, an overweight karaoke loving pig and a fish out of water who can crush a can on his helmet with the best of them. The one difference between this movie and other Disney movies, is that from start to finish it is totally non stop once it gets going and you just can't imagine leaving your seat. A massive ten out of ten from me and especially my kids. Well done the Disney team efforts like that are well appreciated!!!
one of the worst movies ever
posted on 15 Jun 2009Wanting to take the kids (3 and 6) out to a movie, I thought "Chicken Little" would be an innocent foray to the theater. I mean, what could Disney do to a classic tale. Plenty, as it turns out. My three year old was frightened and my 6 year old could only say, "Thats a bizarre plot twist" as the movie unraveled before our very eyes. After Disney's split with Pixar I wondered if they could pull off an animation on their own. Clearly they can not. They use the same tired formula of Father/son angst and missing mother (why can't Disney write a mother into the script once and a while? Is it company policy to limit the parenting to a single parent - always the dad?) I would rather my 3 year old have gone with Mom to see "Walk the Line" then this rug pull of a movie. I rate Chikcen Little "AWFUL!"
Not a classic, but a lot of fun
posted on 06 Jun 2009Though the reviews for this movie were a bit on the harsh side, I quite enjoyed this. It won't be making any lists of my favorite animated films, but it certainly was far better than I was led to expect that it would be. The film was Disney's first computer generated film, all their other releases being Pixar productions.
The film attempts to flesh out the rather bare bones story of Chicken Little, who claimed that the sky was falling. In this case, the sky truly was falling, in that parts of it were alien space ships that have the ability to disguise themselves like chameleons by assuming the appearance of their background. This plot device was actually my least favorite part of the movie. What makes the film work is how it functions on a momemnt to moment basis. There are a score of excellent comedic moments, well-realized concepts, and great jokes.
As with virtually all CGI films, CHICKEN LITTLE is great to look at. What I love about these movies is that they seem to take you into a different physical universe. They look almost photo-realistic, but keep enough of a sense of unreality to seem magical. At least part of the charm is the way they keep the viewer visually stimulated.
The voice talent is not quite in the superstar category, but they do a great job anyway. Zach Braff of SCRUBS is superb as Chicken Little. He does so many voice overs on the show with his inner monologues that fans of the show will find this eerily familiar at times. Joan Cusack is great as his mallard buddy, while Steve Zahn gets a lot of great moments as Runt.
All in all, I thought this was a fine film. Again, it isn't the best movie you'll ever see, but if you are in the mood for a light animated film, this should serve fine.
Disney...Pixar...whoever...pure animated genius!!
posted on 05 Jun 2009Ignore the harsh critics...animation simply gets better and better. Different?? Sure...but nonetheless brilliant. If anything animation has tried to become a contender in the field of motion pictures and has gloriously succeeded beyond any imagination and that's because it's no longer a child's market but everyone can love it and Chicken Little easily proves this. Moral, clean message?? Check. Adorable characters with vivid and live personalities?? Check. Upbeat, inspirational music (although not entirely original, fun nonetheless.) Big check. Chicken Little is hilarious, fun to watch, bright and boisterous and with a unique and fun storyline it makes it the perfect watch for any person, not just kids.Zach Braff voices Chicken Little himself and his voice will likely forever be connected to the character. He's perfect!! Chicken Little is a teenager and Braff uses a slightly deep, but raspy voice that just suits the little hero. He has such a strong personality and you want to root for him despite the fact that he is such a klucks...ahem...klutz. The fantastic Garry Marshall is Chicken Little's father Buck Cluck. What a great job he does as the very Jewish sounded protective father who wants nothing more than to be proud of his son. Steve Zahn is perhaps the absolute highlight of the whole film voicing Runt Of The Litter who is now one of my favorite cartoon characters. Karaoke singing, paranoid, scared, larger than life Runt is such a great character. He probably gets 50% of the great lines and most of the funny scenes but still supports Chicken Little's storyline and the character. AWESOME!! I think Joan Cusack is great and a very funny actress but I'm just not quite sure if she fit the bill...oh geez I'm funny...playing Abby Mallard. Certainly Cusack has a bit of a strange, almost geeky voice which was good but most of the time she just sounded far too adult for Abby. Compared to everyone else who just completely embodied their character she stood out as being different from the rest but then maybe that's the idea. Now add in the supporting voices with the likes of Don Knotts, Patrick Stewart, Amy Sedaris, Fred Willard, Adam West, and a host of other extremely talented animation veterans and they all meld together to make one of the best animated films I have ever seen.Director Mark Dindal who also directed 2000's HILARIOUS Emporer's New Groove obviously loves animation because he knows how to make a film appeal to not just children who will love Chicken Little for it's characters and world, and slapstick moments but adults who will love the music, the numerous references to films (King Kong, Indiana Jones, War Of The Worlds and many more I can't even remember.) He doesn't go overboard with the subtle humor that is almost adult but over the head of children, instead it's just cute little things that will make you laugh out loud no matter how old you are. The action and story is a little intense at times and although no one ever gets hurt I think young children might get a little fright from the Alien invasion. This film absolutely fits firmly into the Disney Collection of classics whether PIXAR is responsible or not...it really doesn't matter because a very cute, hilariously funny, and well made movie is what came of it. See this one any time with anyone!! 9/10
Chcken Little in one word: AWFUL!
posted on 03 Jun 2009Chcken Little in one word: AWFUL!Thoroughly unlikeable lead character, AND he sounded older than his dad!Placement of songs was diabolical- what the f**k was that "theme tune", by the time it got to the pathetic spice girls song the DVD was only going one place- the trash (it didn't even make it to the 2nd verse).Disney please take note from someone who does not have anywhere near the budget you do i.e. the makers of Hoodwinked- at least they made an effort, decent story, half decent songs, appealing to all ages, and an overall impression of someone who gives a damn!We wasted an hour of our lives last night watching the piece of **** that is Chicken Little, please people DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE- the other characters were right to give the little brat the cold shoulder in the first place.Poor show Disney.
Chicken Little Rules the Roost!!!
posted on 03 Jun 2009Let me start out by saying Chicken Little rocks!!! Now why does it rock? Plain and simple, it echoes back to Disney's glory days and shines a bright light on its future. Having just come out of 10 years of near-successes and box office flops, the Walt Disney Feature Animation department needed a hero, a winner that would put them back on top of the charts. The big hero came in the form a small, awkward, lovable bird named Chicken Little. This persistence guy wants nothing more than to please his dad and rid himself of the title of "the crazy chicken"(which he received after sending his town into a panic by announcing the sky was falling). Unfortunately, when you're a little guy in a big town and been labeled "the village idiot", getting the respect you desire isn't an easy task. Fortunately, with the help of his outcasts friends(Abby Mallard aka "Ugly Duckling", Runt of the Litter, and Fish Out of Water), Chicken Little learns you don't have to be big or do great things in order to be recognized or gain respect(or even love), from those around you. Just trust your heart and be yourself. These beautiful, life-affirming lessons are what made me give this movie a "10". In a society where fashion, style, and other superficial things tend to influence a good amount of public opinion(s), it's nice to see that some movies having given into the social pressure of using celebrity voices and cheesy CGI in order to cover up a lousy storyline. Chicken Little is that movie. It highlights the great truths which built this country: family, friendship, love, perseverance, and hope. I think it's safe to say that this movie will go down in Disney history as the beginning of a new age of animation as well as become a timeless classic that will be enjoyed by the young and the young at heart for generations to come.
Cartoon for children or adults??
posted on 03 Jun 2009I went into the movie anticipating very little bang for my buck. Chicken Little was the second choice for my spouse and I. The final selling point was 3-D animation. As I expected, the 7:15 pm showing was brimming with lackadaisical parents with eyes locked on the large screen waiting for the one eyed monster to come to life. Their spawn dancing about like lemmings on crack while they consumed their over priced carbohydrates. Thankfully the majority of the frenzy was isolated many rows behind us and did not distract when the "entertainment" began. I will begin by saying there were several places where I found myself honestly entertained. While the 3-D antics were not a regular occurrence, it happened often enough to keep the festive mood up. I can sum up my issues with this by simply saying, I can relate. The main characters include the little chicken who's father gives very little support almost to a point of being overly harsh. At one point the scripting has the father admitting that he is a "bad parent". Poor chicken little suffers emotionally from the lack of attention, respect and love that a good parent will show their child. As if that is not enough, chicken little's friend the ugly duckling spends a good majority of the film playing the therapist. I can not recall many segments that do not involve mindless action where ugly duckling is not touting some saying that is supposed to encourage chicken little into confronting this failure of a father figure. The climax to this comes with chicken little resorting to sportsmanship in hopes of gaining attention and respect. While the result is positive, the overall message from this segment of the story line clouds the story and comes across as filler instead of rock solid substance with relevance to the story. These points were very distracting to me and took away from the playful tone of the film. Other friends included the pig who while funny was only funny because of his neurosis and slap stick based weight issues. The crutch of the group and the story was a little three eyed alien. The remaining characters felt interjected with only a shadow of personality. For example, Turkey Lurky, the mayor that could not make a decision without a card prompting him. Foxy Loxy was a female bully and sport jock that existed only to antagonize chicken little. Finally, the action sequences were well done in most cases. There were a couple times that I closed my eyes to avoid getting sick from the 3-D "mars attacks" like sequences. Try as they did to make this nursery rhyme an interesting and comical adventure, the show fell short with hollow characters, interjected some times over used action and a 'be a good parent or else' therapist feel. With the killing blow being the ticket cost, shows like this should be saved for Saturday morning cartoons. Questions for the director and writer: Why would children care what a 'lover' is? The karaoke scene was not necessary. Along the same thought pattern, why would young characters involve themselves in a romantic kiss twice in the story? That certainly was not necessary. For those who have not seen this yet, I would suggest saving your money. For those choosing to see it in the theater, go for 3-D.
Cheap, forgettable garbage
posted on 30 May 2009Yet another pathetic computer animation movie. The characters and story have as much depth as a dried up puddle and then i'm being lenient. If Disney can get away with making such crap that is an insult to even the average viewer's intellect, they can get away with everything. Cheap use of "emotion", loud music and irrelevant and/or boring cultural references (the 90210 reference being the worst), what is there not to hate? Really, if you want to waste 75 minutes of your life, stab yourself in the eye with a pencil, it's more fun! Otherwise, dig up your dusty copies of The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast or any other movie where animation was subordinate to characters and the story. Yeah, Chicken Little is pretty, it's no Ice Age for sure. But ask yourself, "pretty" combined with no depth , what does that spell? Oh yeah, porn. This is porn, only with less depth and negatively satisfying.
pretty good for the little ones
posted on 30 Aug 2009"Chicken Little" was much anticipated in our family, especially by my three year old son. It didn't disappoint him. A good movie for small children, my son actually sat still through most of it. Not bad for grown ups; however, if "Chicken Little" is an example of post-Pixar Disney computer animation then there's trouble for the mighty entertainment monolith. The animation was okay, but doesn't come close to the quality we have come to expect from the folks at Pixar. The writing was mediocre, some funny bits for the grown ups. Disney needs to make nice to Pixar; because, it is obvious that the Walt Disney Corporation is having some trouble on its own.