Early Man does little to move things on, in evolutionary terms, but – for younger viewers especially – its straightforward storytelling and gentle humour still work a treat.
Early Man’s humour ends up largely playing into familiar tropes.
A mad idea that doesn’t quite come off. But charming all the same.
Viewed alongside animation's CGI-slickened evolution, it's the human touches applied to plasticine and pummelled actors that make Early Man so winning.
An often amusing reimagining of Bronze Age history that, while it doesn’t quite match the best of Aardman, is still solid family entertainment.
Early Man’s reliance on groaning dad-humour and stereotypical celebrations of British daftness feels prehistoric in all the worst ways.
Early Man isn’t the flashiest animated feature that you’ll see this year but it is certainly the most likeable.
Nick Park’s hilarious family animation pitches the stone age against the bronze age in a prehistoric football fantasy.
A primitive concept (cavemen play football) generates unsophisticated laughs in an animated caper that’s fun but rather second division by Aardman standards.
Flimsy but good wholesome fun.
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit may remain Aardman’s high-water mark, but this boisterous romp lifted my spirits and tickled my funny bone. In these dark days, that’s something to cheer about.
Early Man: Aardman goes prehistoric with moustache mood boards and claymation football.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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