Chicken Run | 2000

Main Plot

On a tightly controlled chicken farm, a group of hens dream of escaping their grim fate under the watchful eyes of their harsh owners, Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy. Their hopes are reignited when Rocky, a charismatic rooster, crash-lands into their coop, claiming he can fly. The chickens see Rocky as their ticket to freedom and enlist his help to teach them how to fly over the farm’s high fences. As the Tweedys unveil a new pie-making machine, the urgency to escape grows. With teamwork, determination, and Rocky’s encouragement, the chickens devise a daring plan to build a makeshift flying machine. Facing numerous obstacles and the ever-present threat of being turned into pies, the flock bands together for a bold and inventive breakout, proving that courage and unity can overcome even the most daunting challenges.

Characters

• Mel Gibson voices Rocky, a charismatic American rooster who crash-lands into the coop. Rocky’s bravado hides insecurity, forcing him to confront the meaning of freedom and loyalty.
• Julia Sawalha plays Ginger, the determined leader of the chickens. Ginger’s resilience is tested as she rallies her flock against impossible odds in pursuit of hope.
• Phil Daniels portrays Fetcher, a streetwise rat and opportunistic supplier to the chickens. Fetcher’s schemes highlight the blurred lines between self-interest and genuine friendship.

Ending Explained

In the final act of Chicken Run, the chickens’ hopes for freedom culminate in a daring escape plan. After numerous failed attempts and setbacks, the flock—led by the determined Ginger and aided by the charismatic rooster Rocky—rallies together to construct a makeshift flying machine. Their ingenuity and teamwork pay off as they launch the contraption just in time to evade Mrs. Tweedy’s latest scheme: turning the chickens into pies. The escape is tense, with Mrs. Tweedy clinging to the flying machine in a last-ditch effort to stop them, but the chickens manage to shake her off and soar over the farm’s fences to safety. The film concludes with the chickens finding sanctuary in a peaceful, open field, finally free from captivity. Ginger and Rocky’s leadership is affirmed, and the flock embraces their new life, united and self-reliant. The ending underscores the themes of cooperation, hope, and the triumph of ingenuity over oppression, bringing the chickens’ journey from desperation to liberation full circle.