Hollywood has taken another swing at George Orwell’s Animal Farm, and the result is a confused and unpleasant animated film that struggles to justify its own existence. Director Andy Serkis brings the story into a modern American setting, but the shift does little to clarify Orwell’s message. Instead, it muddies the narrative and replaces sharp political insight with shallow spectacle.
The film leans heavily on musical montages set to loud, generic pop songs. Scenes of pigs indulging in shopping sprees feel out of place and undercut the story’s darker themes. The character designs do not help matters. They are often distracting and, at times, outright off-putting. What should be a cautionary tale becomes a noisy and unfocused production.
Serkis and screenwriter Nicholas Stoller appear to frame the story through a modern political lens. The farm is now placed in America’s heartland, complete with exaggerated visuals and heavy-handed symbolism. Orwell’s critique of power and corruption gets buried under obvious references that lack subtlety or depth. The result feels less like an adaptation and more like a forced update.
The central conflict between Napoleon, voiced by Seth Rogen, and Snowball, voiced by Laverne Cox, comes across as simplistic. Their rivalry resembles basic schoolyard bullying rather than a serious struggle over ideology and control. A new character, a piglet named Lucky voiced by Gaten Matarazzo, is added to guide younger viewers through the story. This addition softens the narrative and avoids the harder truths that made the original work endure.
The filmmakers also introduce new human villains, including Glenn Close as Freida Pilkington and Steve Buscemi as Mr Whymper. These characters shift focus away from the animals and dilute the allegory. Kieran Culkin’s Squealer delivers a few sharp lines, but they are not enough to lift the material. One of the few elements that works is Boxer, voiced by Woody Harrelson. The loyal horse retains some of the emotional weight from Orwell’s story. Harrelson’s performance captures the character’s quiet strength and tragic innocence. It stands out in a film that otherwise struggles to connect.
Earlier adaptations managed to leave a stronger impression. The 1954 British version, widely shown in schools during the 1980s, altered parts of the story but still delivered a compelling experience. Its animation drew viewers in before revealing the darker turn of events. That sense of progression is missing here.
The visuals are harsh, the tone is uneven, and the humor rarely lands. Even before Napoleon rises to power, the film feels heavy and joyless. By the end, it offers little insight and even less entertainment. What should have been a sharp political fable instead becomes a forgettable and frustrating exercise, and a blemish on an otherwise stainless Angel Studios.
***
English (US) · 