As one of the few animal films that I truly love, Babe shocked the world when it was released in 1995. It is one of the best children’s films ever released and has some incredible acting by the main humans. It is one of those films which you remember fondly when it first came out and when you hear the name, no matter who you are, you have positive memories of this film. This is also a film which garnered such praise from audiences and critics alike that it was nominated for 7 Academy Awards, although it only won 1 (Best Visual Effects). In fact, it is shocking to think that in a period of blockbusters taking over the cinemas and the rise in digital effects, Babe stuck with tried and tested animatronics and used as many as 48 pigs in the making of the process because pigs grow so fast! What’s more is that this film is the perfect type of film to kick back and relax with on a Saturday or Sunday, especially when you have family around for this Easter weekend. Here’s the Weekend ReWatch reflix review of Babe.

What can you say about one of the best kids films ever? Well, I’ll start with the animals first, because they are truly astounding. One of the things that I think makes this film so reflixable is that the animals are so well trained that nothing seems unnatural in this film. Compare that to other films, where you have the main animal, usually a dog or a cat, moving from point A to point B and it seems very staged, as if there is a treat at the end once they get to their goal. The animals in Babe, on the other hand, seem to portray the wildness you would expect in a country farm atmosphere, without very static or controlled movements that seem out of place. And when there are very controlled or calm movements, like when the sheep walk calmly to the shearer, everything is clearly accounted for by Babe’s previous interaction with the sheep. Everything works so well in this film, that it maintains a fantasy but also a believability that makes it more enjoyable to watch. I also think its a true compliment to the direction and the animal trainers themselves who made it look so flawless. Even the transitions from close-up to wide shots seem flawless and that is truly special.

Another thing that makes this film reflixable is the voice acting, which is crucial for any film which involves animation or animals. The reason that this film is so superb, especially when you compare it to any other kids film, is that the voice actors are not famous celebrities that you read about in Us Weekly or Hello magazine, but voice actors whose sole job in the business is voice acting. These types of actors know how to create a voice that fits the characters they are meant to give life to, rather than what is common nowadays, where famous actors voice the characters without any consideration as to the type of character they are voicing (save perhaps Mike Myers in the Shrek series). Babe himself is perfectly voiced by Christine Cavanaugh, whom you may know from “Rugrats” as Chuckie Finster. The only real star here is Hugo Weaving, the agent from The Matrix, or Elrond from The Lord of the Rings. He is excellent as Rex, the sheepdog, who teaches Babe. These performances are incredible and well worth rewatching because they are so unique to this film. You’ll never find these voices performed the same way anywhere else and it gives the film an authenticity that so many lack. 

Finally, one of the other things making this film so reflixable is the fact that the story is so good and so well told and that there are so many reflixable scenes. First off, the story itself is fantastic – a pig playing the role of the sheepdog and winning a competition to save the farm. Have you ever heard of something so absurd but so perfect for a children’s film? When you break the story down, there are lots of fantastic scenes which are rewatchable by themselves. For example, there is a fantastic scene where Babe is tricked into destroying the farmer’s alarm clock, but they wake up the cat which proceeds to destroy the living room. Another great scene is when Babe is discovered to be a great herder when he orders the hens into two lines, the brown ones and the white ones. Its a charming scene which sets up a fantastic ending. The final sequence at the fair is incredible – I’m sure you remember it as well, but I’ll just say “Bah Ram Ewe” and leave it at that. Just a classic scene that I know you watched a few times when you first saw it.

Overall, I think Babe is a great film which is well worth your time to watch over, especially on this Easter weekend when I’m sure there are a lot of families together looking for something easy and cheap to do all together. I highly suggest you get everyone together, grab some snacks and put this film in without telling anyone what you’re watching. As soon as it starts, I know they’ll all enjoy rewatching it. 

 

What do you think? Is this film worth rewatching? Do you have a favourite scene? Do you agree about my comments on voice acting?

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