Andy Serkis' New Animation Is a Resounding Flop With Only 30% on Rotten Tomatoes
The movie shies away from being radical and consequently fails as both a satire and family entertainment.
Animal Farm, one of the darkest satires on totalitarianism, has once again been adapted for the screen. This time, Andy Serkis, an actor renowned for his portrayal of Gollum and his expertise in motion-capture technology, helmed the project.
Serkis promised to modernize the story by shifting the focus from the 1940s Eastern Bloc to digital capitalism and modern-day serfdom. However, we received simplistic animation and uninspired topics instead.
What Is 'Animal Farm' About?
The farm's four-legged inhabitants are about to be sent to the slaughterhouse. In response, the animals rebel against their master, drive him out, and start a revolution. A pig named Snowball abolishes human exploitation and proposes a life of equality with good intentions.
But the idyll doesn't last long. Napoleon the boar seizes power and establishes his own order. Napoleon's tyranny is observed by Lucky the piglet, the smartest of the farm's inhabitants. Lucky himself becomes a pawn in Napoleon's populist game.
Inequality deepens: Boxer the horse and the other animals work hard to ensure the pigs live in luxury.
'Animal Farm' Is a Naive Animation That Doesn't Deserve the Attention of Fans of George Orwell
The main problem with this new adaptation may not be the attempt to modernize Orwell, but rather, the movie's lack of courage to be truly gritty. Although Serkis and screenwriter Nicholas Stoller shifted the context, they failed to imbue the animation itself with a radical edge.
The visuals are overly naive and colorful, resembling a wholesome family movie for the weekend rather than an anti-totalitarian satire.
While Orwell's original novella demanded grotesque imagery, darkness, and a nearly documentary-level brutality, Serkis' film is closer in spirit to harmless tales of animal friendships. Instead of making a lasting impression, the movie merely skims the surface.
The creators try to look toward the future with optimism by introducing Lucky, a protagonist who did not exist in Orwell's text.
This new narrative arc transforms the story of an inevitable revolution-turned-dictatorship into a banal formula: cute cartoon characters stand up to a corporate machine and conclude that the farm simply requires everyone to help one another.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Animal Farm'?
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Animal Farm has 30% from critics and 53% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 2.8/10.
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On Letterboxd, Animal Farm scored 1.7/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Animal Farm'?
Animal Farm is available to buy or rent on Prime Video and Apple TV.
