303. Strike; movie review

STRIKE
Cert PG
101 mins
BBFC advice: Contains mild comic violence, upsetting scenes

One of the earliest stories in my journalism career was about a footballer who did a shift down the pit in the morning and went on to score the winning goal in an FA Cup tie in the evening.
Yep, I have been around long enough to remember mines.
Anyway, if former Hednesford Town forward Les Youll is still around he might appreciate Trevor Hardy's Strike.
This lively animation surrounds a mole called Mungo (voiced by Lizzie Waterworth) who wants to be a footballer instead of following generations of his family and friends down the local pit.
Well, when I say pit, I mean gold mine and Mungo's dad (Tom Turner) is convinced that there is plenty of the shiny stuff behind the rock.
Anyway, keen to avoid upsetting his father, Mungo goes digging instead of becoming a professional footballer.
But when a mysterious villain tries to buy the mine after a tragic accident, it is Mungo and the beautiful game which dovetail in an attempt to save the day.
Strike is an engaging claymation with a catalogue of moral messages behind the transformation of Mungo from pit-boy to football superstar.
And while there is a dab of pathos, there is also much fun to be had be the combo of soccer, gold and an over-the-top villain.
Oh, and all of the characters are animals. So, the Siamese cat's henchman is a not-to-bright bull while the England football team are a mole-less menagerie until Mungo arrives.
Anyway, it all makes up for a bit of fun which should appeal to kids and even has a couple of gags which will make adults laugh.

Reasons to watch: Light-hearted animation which sparks a couple of laughs
Reasons to avoid: Its plot is very convoluted

Laughs: Two and a few chuckles
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6.5/10

Did you know? Moles can dig up to 18 feet in one hour.

The final word. Lizzie Waterworth: "My favourite part of voicing boys particularly is creating (along with the director of the show) the voice from scratch based on the info i have about the character. How old are they? Should they sound cute or mischievous?  Once the character is in my head, it’s always exciting to then bring it to life through my voice in a recording studio. That is when the magic happens." London Mums Magazine

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