There are certain books that are required reading throughout our school years. Certainly, George Orwell’s 1945 classic, Animal Farm, is one of them. The story of a utopian society that falls tragically into dystopia is an unforgettable read, especially as it uses farm animals in its allegory of the Russian Revolution. But that also makes an adaptation an extremely tough sell. For Andy Serkis, his latest directorial effort is told in the style of 3D animation, which might be appealing to kids even if the core themes are way above their heads.
To be fair, the latest Animal Farm trailer does a better job at depicting the darker aspects than the previous one, which looked like a kiddie movie made by Dreamworks. The story sticks true to the material, following a group of animals who take over a farm from the humans who were trying to send them to the slaughterhouse. But once that’s done, the animals must decide how to rule, and who will be doing the ruling. Inevitably, a corrupt system of inequality emerges, and ultimately a dictatorship.
The star-studded voice cast includes Seth Rogen as Napoleon, Gaten Matarazzo as Lucky, along with Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close, Steve Buscemi, Laverne Cox, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Kathleen Turner, Iman Vellani, and Serkis himself.
SYNOPSIS: From visionary director Andy Serkis, and featuring the voices of Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Glenn Close, and Woody Harrelson, comes a satirical allegory of revolution and power. Animal Farm traces how a movement for equality is systematically corrupted. As the pigs consolidate control, truth is erased, dissent is crushed, and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship—fulfilling Orwell’s warning about the dangers of communism.
Angel Studios will release Animal Farm into theaters on May 1st.
