As movie critic Mark Kermode puts it: there's two things you can rely on in the movie world: Disney and Woody Allen. There's a serious argument to add Aardman Animations to that list and the studio's latest movie, the modestly marketed Shaun the Sheep, hits cinemas in the UK this weekend and it currently holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Shaun the SheepShaun the Sheep is critically acclaimed

We last saw Shaun in the 1995 short film A Close Shave and in an episode from the 2002 Wallace and Gromit's Cracking Contraptions series. This time, his mischievousness leads to the Farmer being taken away from the farm, leaving Shaun, Bitzer and the flick heading to the big city to rescue him.

"Even without a single word of spoken dialogue, this film has more charm and energy than most Hollywood blockbusters. But then the voice cast supplies all manner of moans, chuckles, grunts and sighs to let us know what the characters are thinking," wrote our very own Rich Cline in his review.

More: Aardman begins shooting Shaun the Sheep movie

"The stop-motion techniques used by Aardman animation remain as appealing as ever, giving life to Heath Robinson-style contraptions, clever visual gags and characters," said Allan Hunter of the Daily Express.

"Aardman's latest stop-motion animated feature is a rarity: a film aimed at very young kids that will delight adults, too," wrote Geoffrey Macnab of the Independent.

"While Shaun the Sheep Movie is unlikely to match Paddington at the box office, it adds weight to the argument that there is a mini renaissance in family filmmaking in the UK at the moment," wrote Wendy Ide of The Times.

"Mossy Bottom Farm's mischief-maker bounds effortlessly onto the big screen in this fun-packed yarn from Aardman," said Jamie Healy of the Radio Times.

Shaun the Sheep is in cinemas now. 

Watch the trailer for Shaun the Sheep: