A disaster of a brick order takes our heroes Cowboy, Indian, and Horse on an adventure when they destroy his house after Horse’s birthday party takes a wild turn. A Town Called Panic is a manic episode captured in animated form, an intense, creative bit of animated freedom from Belgium directing duo Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier. My simple mind is used to a splash of anime here, the odd hand-drawn piece there, but stop-motion isn’t something I’ve really experienced, especially not in feature-film form. This short and sweet piece is gracious enough to inflict high octane moments of insanity onto its audience. No concessions are made for those that can’t keep up with the fluid, moving energy these characters bring to the screen.
My concerns regarding A Town Called Panic would be that it comes across as sketch-like and skit-oriented, rather than narratively base. I’m not sure where this pre-conception appeared, but I was worried this would turn into a series of funny moments that don’t have a connection to one another. Nothing could be further from the truth, though, and perhaps the most powerful offering of the film is its story. Simplistic, but important to keep the pace flowing as well as it does, and a reminder that our characters do indeed have a goal they’ve set out to achieve. It’s not at the forefront of your mind whilst watching, but it’s always nice to remember that there is a reasonable narrative and explanation for why our trio of protagonists are attacking scientists inside of a robot penguin.
What aids A Town Called Panic tremendously is how colourful it is. Its reliance on figurine characters gelling with man-made backgrounds is superb. There are no corners cut, and the dedication of our directing pair is admirable as they craft a world filled with larger-than-life characters, most of whom appear for only a brief few moments. This variety really helps the film, the unhinged neighbours and erratic strangers that appear throughout bring a bountiful helping of laughter with them.
A Town Called Panic relies on the feverish excitement its colourful cast of animated characters can display. It’s all hands on deck, without a second to breathe or take in your surroundings. The manic approach directors Aubier and Patar take with this project is surreal, and I can see myself becoming a huge fan of their style. Fast-paced, hilarious throwaway jokes at every turn, it’s hard not to love the energetic approach the two take to their script. I felt more connection to these plastic models than I did to most of the characters littering the films I’ve suffered through this past year. A memorable trio of comedy gold make for a fast-paced, riotous affair that I would love to return to, A Town Called Panic is perhaps the funniest animation you’ll see from the past twenty years.
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