Adaptations can be tricky, especially when it’s an adaptation of a famous and noteworthy work. You have three options: be extremely true to the source material, satisfying purists in the process; disregard the original completely and make something new, which will leave fans clutching their pearls; or do something in between. This middle ground is the case for Angel’s new animated film Animal Farm, based on the 20th century George Orwell novella of the same name. But the question is: does it work?
Animal Farm is a cautionary tale about the corruptive effects of power on individuals and society. The movie begins with with a barnyard revolution at Manor Farm, resulting in the animals exiling their abusive owner, Mr. Jones (Andy Serkis). The pigs, led by Snowball (Laverne Cox) and Napoleon (Seth Rogen), organize a new farm society, establishing rules so that all animals will be treated fairly and equally. Snowball sees the need to generate electricity for the farm and builds a waterwheel, the construction of which Napoleon opposes. However, this utopia begins to quickly deteriorate as Napoleon breaks the compact, seizes more power, and banishes Snowball. Lucky, an eager young boar, is uncomfortable with this, but sticks with Napoleon, believing that has the best intentions for the farm.
The pigs further elevate themselves by changing the rules and doing activities that were previously off limits, such as living in the farmer’s home, walking on two legs, and drinking “naughty juice.” Problems further arise when the farm’s billionaire neighbor, Freida Pilkington (Glenn Close), tries to purchase the farm, but the animals refuse. She instead seduces and schemes with Napoleon by enriching him and the other pigs, while the other animals endure tough working conditions and face near starvation. Will the animals be able to overcome their tribulations and return Animal Farm to its former “utopian” glory?
If you are a fan of the George Orwell’s literary classic Animal Farm, then this adaptation is not for you—because this is not Animal Farm. In an (presumed) attempt to appeal to children and 21st century sensibilities, it completely sanitizes that story and themes. Instead of a dark anti-communist tale (an allegory for the Russian Revolution), we get a weak anti-cronyism and anti-capitalism message. Instead of the bleak ending where, after much death and carnage, the pigs come out on top becoming imperceptible from the humans, we get a feel-good happy ending where Lucky (Squealer in the book) fights back against Napoleon’s tyranny and takes the farm back. An ending so egregious that it will make your jaw drop. In other words: they orwelled Orwell.
If this were just another movie about farm animals overcoming some bad apples and saving the farm, then Animal Farm is passable. However, since it’s under the Animal Farm moniker, there are great expectations about what’s about to unfold. The first act is generally inoffensive and faithful to the book, the second starts to get goofy (the pigs start wearing tracksuits, for example), and the third is where it completely deviates and goes off the rails.
It’s been reported that the legendary motion-capture star Andy Serkis wanted to adapt Animal Farm as early as 2011, envisioning it as a motion-capture film that would serve as his magnum opus. One can presume that originally he wanted a faithful, gritty adaptation; however, somewhere along the way, his original vision got chipped away and perverted until we got…whatever this is. It’s poetic since Serkis’ Animal Farm cautions of the effects of capitalism and it seems that the studio system under capitalism is ultimately what neutered his original vision.
Now that we’ve talked about what Animal Farm is not, let’s talk about what it is.
As far as animated family films go, it’s standard 2026 fare. It’s bright, loud, and obnoxious. Tonally, it struggles because it can’t boldly tackle the more serious themes, but instead dilutes them [no animals die due to the tyranny except for the horse Boxer (Woody Harrelson)]. There’s also so many outrageous moments—the pigs going on a shopping spree for designer clothes at the mall, hosting a rave-like dance party in the farmer’s house, and zooming around in a Lamborghini—that it’s hard to take the film or its themes seriously at all.
The music is terrible, the animation is ok, and the voice acting is fine. Seth Rogen, whose casting was initially criticized when the project was announced, surprisingly does a great job as the power-hungry Napoleon. Laverne Cox’s Snowball is a bit distracting and feels out of place. Kieran Culkin is great as the optimistic Lucky.
If you’re looking for a fairly faithful animated adaptation, the 1954 version is pretty good (though fumbles the ball by retconing the dire message with a hopeful, happy ending). But if you’re just looking for something that is your typical good-defeats-evil story with a bunch of crazy antics sprinkled in between, then this’ll do pig, this’ll do.
Animal Farm releases in theaters on May 1, 2026.
★1⁄2
