A Mystery on the Cattle Hill Express (2023)

Poor old farmer “Biff” is struggling to get anything to grow! The soil is as dead as a dodo even after his neighbour tries a rejuvenating rain dance! He’s at his wits end until, that is, his porcine neighbour and investor “Pauline” declares that she has a cunning plan and that they are all to rendezvous at the railway station next morning. That’s where they encounter the visionary inventor “Albert Einswine” who has developed an highly secret “superseed” that can thrive anywhere. Could this be salvation for “Biff”? Well not when it’s stolen - and he is deemed to be the prime suspect. “Albert” now summons the legendary investigator “Agatha Christensen” who enlists the assistance of the accused man’s children “Clara” and “Gavin” who are keen amateur sleuths - so maybe they can get to the bottom of the mystery before prison beckons for dad? It’s quite a fun animal-animation this. The story, set largely aboard a train, moves along quickly and there are a few twists and turns as we go along. It is clear with it’s message - if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is - and I quite enjoyed it for what is an admittedly over-long eighty minutes that has a friendly and engaging Aardman look to it.