‘Animal Farm' Review: Andy Serkis Directs Seth Rogen And All-Star Voice Cast In Clever And Chilling Take On Orwell's Classic Novella
George Orwell had a unique talent for predicting the future in his books, notably 1984, but now seeing director Andy Serkis' new animated take on Orwell's 1945 all-too-predictive allegory and satirical story, Animal Farm, he seems more like a Nostradamas than ever. With a screenplay, alternately funny and frighteningly perceptive by Nicholas Stoller, this gorgeously animated version is not outwardly trying to be political but nevertheless is uncannily meeting its time and proving to be a little too close for comfort to America's drift toward authoritarianism.
How did Orwell know this little parable he meant to mirror the 1917 Russian revolution, read by school kids for decades, could become so relevant in 2025, and for that matter how did these filmmakers and Serkis know? He started his quest to bring this new version to the screen at least as far back to 2013, three years before Donald Trump was elected for his first term, and fully eleven years before he returned to finish the job he started. But actually, the scenario Animal Farm paints has relevance for countries around the world who are experiencing these kinds of dictator-wannabes. Beware this is a 'toon with much to think about – and to fear. And oh yeah, it is also wildly entertaining. Animal Farm had its World Premiere today at the Annecy Animation Festival in France.
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You invariably know the story. A farm run by Farmer Jones is basically going under, debitors coming to collect and no way to keep it solvent. A big truck comes to pick up the animals and cart them off to oblivion when one of them, Snowball (nicely voiced by Laverne Cox) figures out what is happening and turns the tide creating an animal rebellion and leading to this motley four legged crew actually taking over and running the farm themselves. Man, as the opening narration suggests, had not treated them well. Now it is their turn. Joined by well-meaning piglet Lucky (Stranger Thing's Gaten Matarazzo) they lead the others into some mischievous adventures with their new found freedom, learning how to run what only humans had done before, particularly milking the cows – no easy task. But what seems like a good idea in taking over the farm begins to show its seams, especially with the self-centered and manipulative other leading pig, Napoleon (unmistakably Seth Rogen) trying to pull the strings in the background. He makes his big move after the discovery that Snowball and Lucky have secretly been working on a windmill to generate electricity in order to solve the milking problem, a turn of events that doesn't go down well and leads to the banishment of Snowball when Napoleon rallies the others against her.
Now it is free reign for Napoleon to try to seize power, and in concert with the dogs he does just that. But this is an authoritarian personality who is out only for himself and his actions are all in that quest. He starts to figuratively burn the place down, break every previous rule, and urge the animals to eat all the stored grain, not worrying about having enough in the future. When the farm is again threatened, Napoleon and the pigs come up with a marketing idea and it goes over big as they all go to the mall and start indulging in human-like luxuries like never before. Enter Frieda Pilkington (Glenn Close in her best Cruella mode), a billionaire rival farm owner who sees an opportunity and a naive foil in Napoleon, who she butters up big time, him being oblivious to her real motivation: the building of a massive dam that will ultimately destroy the farm, even as Napoleon's dark side is willing to take what he sees as true glory at the cost of everyone else with the dam plan. When one pig, Puff (Iman Vellani) starts to sense trouble it puts Lucky between a rock and a hard place. Which way does he go and how will they all survive?
Each character is so drawn and voiced so specifically this Animal Farm really does become a microcosm of society with Rogen's duplicitous Napoleon the classic case of someone consumed with power and his own narcissism (remind you of anyone?). Matarazzo's Lucky is the protagonist but one increasingly confused by events. Along the way there are others like the free-thinking Carl The Sheep (Jim Parsons), cranky Benjamin (Kathleen Turner), squirrely Squealer (Kieran Culkin), and more, including Boxer (beautifully voiced by Woody Harrelson) the dedicated hard working and morally upstanding horse who heartbreakingly will ultimately become a victim of this new pig-led government. Serkis, of course, can't resist playing a couple of parts himself and takes on the affable Rooster and Farmer Jones. You also can't watch this movie and the dynamics between animals and humans and not think of what Serkis, as an actor, brought to the Planet Of The Apes series as Caesar.
The visuals of the film are meticulously thought out , and though not photo real have that look and design of authenticity in CGI animated form. The score by Brazilian composer Hector Pereira is right on point and the use of the Propellerheads and Shirley Bassey's collaboration on 'History Repeating' is a not-so-subtle comment , but perfectly-used song to reinforce what sadly happens as this animal brigade replaces the farm's previous human operation and start falling into the same traps. History repeating itself indeed.
Although this may not quite sound like safe fare for the kiddies, this is that rare animated feature that works on many levels and thus will find favor with the whole family for different reasons. Animation or not, it looks to me to be one of the most important films of the year. Heed what Orwell is talking about before it all comes tumbling down.
Producers of the Aniventure, Cinesite, Imaginarium production are Serkis, Adam Nagle, David Rosenbaum, Peter Nagle, Jonathan Cavendish. Eamonn Butler is Associate Director for Animation and Alex Parkinson is Associate Director for CGI.
Title: Animal FarmFestival: AnnecyDirector: Andy SerkisScreenplay: Nicholas StollerCast: Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Laverne Cox, Iman Vellani, Kieran Culkin, Jim Parsons, Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Andy Serkis, Kathleen TurnerRunning Time: 1 hour and 36 minutes
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