There’s not much praise being dished out for Andy Serkis’s “Animal Farm,” which just had its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Critical reaction seems muted—neither glowing endorsements nor prominent acclaim have emerged following the screening.
Audiences seem underwhelmed by its tonal shift from Orwell’s bleak satire toward a more family-friendly narrative. Oh, and did I mention Serkis has apparently inserted lots of flatulence?
While Orwell’s original novella is a searing political allegory, Serkis’ version veers in an unexpectedly juvenile direction — including, notably, fart jokes. The decision to inject lowbrow humor into such weighty source material is baffling.
While Screen chose to take this peculiar adaptation of “Animal Farm” on its own terms and embraced Serkis’ more accessible approach, others were less forgiving.
Variety: “The message feels muddled amid all the pratfalls and fart jokes […] Serkis’ 21st-century update dilutes Orwell’s political allegory in favor of what passes for something more “audience friendly”
IGN: “Andy Serkis reimagines George Orwell's Animal Farm by simplifying the lit-class staple. It’s a family-friendly movie […] The director and performance-capture pioneer trades a dystopian tone for something a little more uplifting.”
