I recall the early movie trailers for “The Sheep Detectives” showing a bunch of cute talking sheep setting out to solve the murder of their kindly shepherd, played by Hugh Jackman. It appeared to be a cross between “Babe” (1995) and “Knives Out” (2019). Being a big fan of both those movies, I was genuinely excited.
Advancements in digital animation have brought hyperrealism to movies about animals. While “Babe” remains remarkable some three decades later, current technology has brought the rendering of movie creatures to a whole new level.
“The Sheep Detective” sheep are adorably cute and nearly perfect in the way they move, and in this case, talk. They each have distinctive, identifiable personalities despite the fact they are all sheep. Together, they form a colorful ensemble cast of their own, in addition to the human characters in the movie.
Jackman plays George Hardy, a likeable loner and shepherd of the flock, living in an idyllic storybook setting. He loves his sheep, providing for them and even reading to them at the close of each day. They adore George and are traumatized when they find him dead one morning not far from his trailer. Worse, they suspect he’s been murdered.
The sheep know all about murder from the detective whodunit stories they’ve heard. They are well-versed in all manner of murder mysteries, crime scenes and clues, and the investigative techniques required to find a killer.
The problem is, they’re sheep, and while they can talk, they can only talk to each other. Humans can’t understand them. It’s a major stumbling block in cracking the case.
They somehow need to gather evidence, process the information and communicate their findings to the local village policeman (Officer Tim Derry, played by Nicholas Braun), who comes off a bit like the village idiot when we meet him. Having never handled a murder case, he is involved in something way over his head.
As with any good murder mystery, there are a dozen suspects who might have done the dastardly deed. Officer Derry creates the obligatory photo board listing each suspect’s means, motive and opportunity. The sheep apply their own knowledge and methods in their earnest pursuit of the killer.
As seen in the trailers, this part of the story is crazy fun. But it isn’t long before the movie drifts from lighthearted comedy to seriousness and tragedy. Questions arise about the nature of death and what happens to people (and sheep) when they die. It’s so traumatic to the sheep that most of them just tune out by counting to three and voluntarily erasing their memories. Only one or two can handle the truth.
For one of them (Sebastian, voiced by Bryan Cranston) the ugly truth includes animal cruelty and being forced to fight attack dogs to the death in a pit. It’s a horrifying, heartbreaking sequence.
Watch: The Sheep Detectives | Official Trailer
George Hardy isn’t the only character to die in “The Sheep Detectives.” He’s part of a narrative tradition that traces back to Disney’s “Bambi” (1942). Children’s stories sometimes have some terrifying moments that stick in our brains and last a lifetime.
That’s not to say that “The Sheep Detectives” wallows in darkness and depression. There is plenty of humor, particularly in the opening and closing reels. For the record, it does manage to end on a moment of triumph, redemption and happiness, despite some heavy psychological/emotional content that may not be appropriate for younger children.
On a strictly visual level, the art direction and animation are stellar. An exception is one short scene when a baby sheep crawls through the window of a jail cell and hops down a series of boxes.
As in the case of some other big-budget animated films like this, the character seems to have no weight or mass. It just floats when it jumps and lands, as though it was weightless. It’s an odd little glitch calling attention to the fact that there is still room for some technical improvement, even in this current world of super sophisticated imaging technology.
It’s a minor criticism. In the bigger picture, “The Sheep Detectives” succeeds in blending cartoon characters and crime-driven content. It also provides a lesson for all of us. When adversity strikes, we are all capable of exceeding expectations and rising to the occasion, in the case, going from being ordinary sheep to dyed-in-the-wool detectives.
DREW’S TAKE:
“The Sheep Detectives” is “Babe” meets “Knives Out” — an entertaining mix of computer-animated animals trying to solve a complex murder case.
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