‘Animal Farm’ Review: Andy Serkis’ Sloppy Animated Adaptation Trades Political Insights for Potty Humor

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80 years ago, George Orwell penned “Animal Farm”, a tale where farm animals rise against their human rulers to establish an equal society, which eventually devolves into another form of oppression. Originally, this book served as Orwell’s satirical commentary on Soviet society during Stalin’s reign. Recently, director Andy Serkis has reimagined this classic work with a computer-animated adaptation (written by Nick Stoller), making it appear as though Orwell’s timeless critique is outdated from the Cold War era. However, it should be noted that anti-totalitarian messages are still pertinent today and could arguably be more relevant than ever. Unfortunately, the message in this modern version seems blurred amidst physical mishaps and bathroom humor.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I find it fascinating that the iconic animated adaptation of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” produced in 1954, had some intriguing roots. It turns out that this timeless work was supported by the CIA, as part of their strategic endeavor to subtly infuse anti-communist viewpoints into the Hollywood film industry. The duo behind its creation, John Halas and his wife Joy Batchelor – esteemed animators based in London who specialized in making propaganda and public service films – took Orwell’s message and used it to further their own objectives. In other words, they utilized Orwell’s agenda to serve their purposes, making adjustments and edits as they saw fit.

Andy Serkis’ modern adaptation seems to soften George Orwell’s political critique, trading it for elements considered more appealing to a broader audience: He employs famous voice actors, adorable character aesthetics, and rapid-fire, high-energy comedy reminiscent of popular Hollywood animated films. While the end product doesn’t quite match the quality of Illumination or DreamWorks productions, it still manages to meet the standard that is often referred to as “good enough for government work.

The cast is hardly criticizable, boasting Woody Harrelson as the diligent old horse Boxer, who not only works tirelessly but also provides narration. Seth Rogen, on the other hand, portrays the cunning pig who grasps power as soon as possible, and his usual laugh takes on a chilling tone. Just as in the book, the livestock lead a rebellion and take over the farm – a chaotic confrontation accompanied by a malodorous “Old MacDonald” rap – proclaiming it a human-free zone where “all animals are equal.

Initially, a pig named Snowball (Laverne Cox), who appears reasonable, lays down the rules. Despite her good intentions, she quickly begins to disregard them, providing Napoleon (Rogen) with the opportunity to oust her and gradually seize power. The screenplay by Stoller omits the Old Major character, a blend of Lenin’s and Marx’s ideologies, and instead introduces a young pig named Lucky (Gaten Matarazzo) to represent the audience.

Lucky appears incredibly cute when lit from behind in a specific way, causing his furry ears to shine pink. However, does it mean we should relate ourselves to Orwell’s allegory? In the original work, Orwell used animals with human characteristics to illustrate the rise and fall of a particular historical regime (Russia). Serkis, on the other hand, presents a more general critique of all leaders. His adaptation also expands the involvement of human characters, which some sources suggest were initially removed from Orwell’s story by the CIA, along with the grim ending where the pigs, once corrupted by power, resemble their human oppressors.

In this story, people are generally portrayed as selfish and greedy, symbolizing the negative aspects of capitalism. Mr. Whymper, who works for the bank, initially threatens Jones’ farm with foreclosure and later seizes their “magic paper” (money). The wealthy character, Mrs. Freida Pilkington, drives a high-tech Cybertruck analogue and desires the farm as the final piece of property she doesn’t own. She attempts to bribe Napoleon with credit cards and luxury cars, but her ultimate goal is to construct a dam that would flood the farm.

In a humorous scene, when power-obsessed Napoleon attempts to stride on two feet, he lets out a ripe fart, causing amusement among children and reminding adults of Serkis’s willingness to stoop low for a laugh. Rogen delivers some chuckles, but the humor primarily acts as a diversion from the story’s core message: humans have an innate tendency towards greed, grabbing more than their fair share at every opportunity, unlike other species.

Or simply:

Humorously, when Napoleon, who was power-obsessed, tried to walk on two legs, he passed gas, entertaining the kids while reminding adults of Serkis’s penchant for low comedy. Rogen provided some laughs, but the jokes mainly served to mask the story’s underlying message: humans are inherently greedy, seizing any chance they get to take more than their share, unlike other creatures.

Given Andy Serkis’ expertise in performance capture, particularly his highly realistic portrayal of characters in “The Jungle Book”, it’s intriguing to notice him adopting a more cartoonish style for this project. However, it’s worth noting that the only other full-length adaptation of “Animal Farm” was a 1999 TV movie that employed the “Babe” method, which involved filming pigs and giving them the ability to speak. This might explain why a photorealistic interpretation wasn’t chosen for this version. Regrettably, the digital pig characters in this production don’t possess the versatility to carry out tasks like milking a cow, which are beyond their capabilities, just as Andy Serkis, who voices Rooster, can’t lay an egg.

The essential elements from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” are still present in this adaptation, such as the dogs trained by Napoleon to be his enforcers and the tragic incident that leads Boxer towards the glue factory. However, the movie is so disorganized that it fails to replace the original book. It would be unfortunate for a student to attempt watching this cartoon rather than reading the book. In essence, all adaptations of “Animal Farm” are alike, but some adaptations are more faithful to the original work than others, much like Napoleon’s famous quote about all animals being equal, yet some are more equal than others.

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2025-06-09 23:17