TV Movie Review: Animal Farm (TNT)

Orwell's novel is told strictly from the point of view of the animals. This version has added material in the beginning that provides the human point of view. Unfortunately, that isn't what's needed. The time showing us the tasteless, crude behavior of the humans prevents us from developing a knowledge of the characters of the animals. They don't truly begin to become "people" until the film is more than halfway over. As a result, it's hard to stay involved in their struggle.

It doesn't help that all of them look extraordinarily well cared for for animals that are supposed to be victims of abuse and neglect. In the opening scene, a drunken Jones shouts and rails at Boxer the plowhorse, but other than that there's no damage done. Director John Stephenson would have done better to leave this meandering nonsense on the cutting room floor and started the movie when Jones hies off to the pub with his hired men before the chores are done and the animals fed. The smarmy scene where Jones has sex with Mrs. Pilkington while her husband snores in a drunken stupor below stairs was definitely uncalled for.

Once the human invasion has been rebuffed, however, the story begins to pick up speed and the bite that marks the book begins to appear. The propaganda films produced by Squealer are perfect imitations of the ones that kept the entire German nation hypnotized during the Nazi regime. These are real goose-steppers!

Even so, the lack of early character development for the animals detracts from the tension as the truth of the pigs defection to humanity becomes increasingly evident. Indeed, the only one that is memorable is Boxer, the equine Everyman whose own innate courage and honesty blinds him to the lack of those qualities in his leaders. He holds fast to his beliefs, despite overwork and starvation, until they lead him to his death.

The result is a movie that isn't worth missing ER for but is still a fairly entertaining event if only for the truly marvelous Creature Shop work. With rare exceptions, it takes a discerning eye to tell where the live animals leave off and the animatronic ones take up the task. Watch the movie for that, and then tune in Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 10 Eastern to learn how they did it.

Animal Farm will be reshown through October 16 at the following dates and times: Wednesday, October 6, at

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