George Orwell's over-hyped satire on the Russian Revolution is performed by live animals - or in most cases, very fake-looking animatronics. The plot of animals taking over a farm only to continue being oppressed is mangled and ill-explained as the makers find it difficult to get the action across using real animals and puppets. Too much time is spent on the set up, having to rush through the remaining the-pigs-take-over plot as if it is a side-note rather than the point. The added happy ending is wasted, simply messing up the finale, rather than adding to it.
The only positive is Snowball the nice pig, representing Trotsky, humorously voiced by Kelsey Grammar.
The patronising narration by Jessie the dog is done as if this is a children's film - indeed the version I watched was on a DVD of children's films - but it is not suitable for children. It is a gruelling, cruel and depressing horror story.
A poor adaptation with wasted visuals that will leave you at best irritated and patronised, at worst shattered and hollow inside.
The concept of course was great. However, the acting was dreadful. The dog was the best and most convincing actor in the film. The humans were far too exaggerated.
This movie is okay. It translates the book the way only a movie based on a book can... decently. Some of the voice acting I found horrendous. But overall its a big rent to me.
George Orwell's vital political fairy tale turned into a pretty crap film. It really doesn't translate well into cinema anyway, but the general poor directing/acting/effiort don't do it justice. READ THE BOOK. Orwell's work is moe important then almost any film.
this movie was about the russian revolution and i think that a history lesson on that would be better than the movie, all this movie did was make me hate the pigs.
If I could, I would give this movie 0/5 stars. It was terrible! It totally strayed from the book and there was nothing in it that would keep a person entertained. Unless you count the opera-singing duck. But even that is creepy with all the other animals marching and singing along. It is all very creepy. I do not recommend this movie to anybody! Read the book! It's more interesting than the movie. But even the book isn't that great.
It is enjoyable; the effects are not great, but they convince. The screenplay needed more work or maybe George Orwell's heavy-political novel doesn't translate well or easily to a movie.
Apparently someone failed to understand why liberal leftist George Orwell was critisizing Starlinist communism..... but understood the obvious historical referances and tried to update them by adding to the story. It doesn't work although the greatful duck single handedly saves the movie from no-star oblivion.
I am assuming this is the one with Pete Postlethwaite, plus voice overs from Patrick Stewart, Peter Ustinov, Kelsey Grammer, Ian Holm, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julia Ormond.... etc. and directed by John Stephenson... It was really not bad- but this worked out much better reading than in the film.
The story brought to you by George Orwell's "Animal Farm". The animals are robotic (and real at points), which makes the story come alive. I personally prefer the novel to the movie, but the movie is a good adaptation.
A book like this can't translate very well into film. Why couldn't they just leave it alone. Pretty much this was dumbed down for the younger audiences.
great film loved watching this and reading the book well recoemed to all can still remember doing this film while i was at school lol a long time ago it is a hard film to get in to and no whats going on but once you watch it you eill understand the story lines behind it
a real look at the social aspect of people through animals. a disturbing, yet real movie. not for lightweights. a good movie i have seen both versions and must say they are both true to the story!
I do not know which of the Animal Farm movies I saw, but I loved the book, which I plan on buying or getting it from my dad if he has it. :) This movies/book is based on the Russian Revolution for those who do not know their history.
It's not that I don't appreciate the message, because I do. It's just... I hate movies when animals talk. And when pigs sit at tables and snort? Come on. That's just not cool.
This movie is right up there with "1984" and "V for Vendetta" as movies that should REALLY make you think. Although it was done with animatronics and puppetry and geared more towards children...this is a VERY adult movie.
I'll assume that this one's the Henson version that truly tarnished his name when it completely changed aspects of Orwell's classic 'fable'. Why the decided it was the way to go, no-one knows, but it certainly didn't work.
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