Riley Emlen – Google

I thought this movie was rather weird. I understand that it's supposed to be based on a true story, but I'm not sure how much of it is true. Freddie Highmore is a good actor. I don't like the stepmother at all, to be perfectly honest. I have a real problem with cheating, which she was doing to her previous husband. She also gets really irritating, because when he tried to cook for his dad, she would beat him to it, every time.

It would be one thing if this were just simply a movie where a girl finds the baby zebra, raises him and trains him to race, but giving the animals voices took it too far. The story would be just fine focused entirely from the humans' perspective. In particular, the flies are ridiculous. If people can't talk to farm animals, then how can farm animals talk to insects. It's like this movie depicts that all species can communicate, except humans to non-humans.

I finally saw this movie as an adult. As someone married to a British person, I'm trying to watch all the British children's movies that I missed growing up. Of all the British animated movies, this is one of the greatest works. Overall, they did a beautiful job on the landscape. It totally looks like a true British countryside. I also really like the song "Bright Eyes" written by Mike Batt and performed by Art Garfunkel. I've also heard this film is controversial, because it does contain some grim imagery. I'll be honest, I would recommend exercising caution over showing it to children under 10 years old. There are a few scenes with animated blood, and I could see how the predators to the rabbits might give young children nightmares. I don't particularly see why it should be controversial, because there are many popular children's movies that don't shy away from death. In "Babe", when the sheep gets killed by the dogs, her wool is full of blood. Not to mention, in "James and the Giant Peach" his parents get eaten by a rhino, forcing him to live with his mean aunts. Another impression of this movie is that it kind gives kids an early lesson about dictatorship, through how General Woundwort tries to hold the other rabbits under his power and torchers them if they try to escape. When Bigwig leads some of them out, it gives an example of being strong and rebellious. Overall, this movie is intense, but I liked it. It might be too scary for some kids, but some would probably feel comfortable watching it. I feel like it's gifted in truth. It's important for kids to learn that nature isn't all sparkle and shine, so they can be prepared for the outside world.