"Animal Farm" is a movie that throughout the years I have watched. I remember seeing it as a small kid and I also remember having to watch it at school, as a part of the Russian revolutionaries period education program. It always has been a movie that made an impression on me due to its story and due to its original delivery.
"Animal Farm" is one of the early animated movies that got not just aimed purely toward a younger audience. The movie is probably even way too dark and perhaps even scary to watch for young children. The movie its underlying subtexts will mostly appeal to the adults, while the younger viewers will simply also still be able to enjoy this movie and its story. It can be seen as an educational movie but its not one that lays its plot and message on too thick. The movie is more subtle and therefore also quite effective with its approach. It's the reason why kids will also still really enjoy it, since the movie doesn't force itself upon them with its message.
The movie its story is a social commentary by author George Orwell on the Stalin era. The movie shows a revolution by the animals against the human farmer. They think things will get better once they run the farm and they will be prosperous and all will live equally alongside each other. New rules get implied and all seems well, until the pigs in the movie are starting to take more control once their power as the 'thinkers' of the farm start to grow and they use the other animals to do the dirty work, while they eat the best food and sleep in the beds. It's pretty much all that happened during the Russian revolution as well, in a nutshell and in a more playful way of storytelling, without loosing any of its effectiveness.
As an animation movie it's also quite good looking. It's no Disney of course but it's all really still quite good looking. Even a bigger accomplishment once you realize that the British did not had much experience yet with making full length animation movies at all. The movie also really manages to create a good atmosphere for its story. It's kind of dark all but this really suits the movie and its story perfectly.
A movie with a great story and animation. One for all ages to watch.
8/10
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