Watership Down film info and review

Watership Down (1978)

Director: Martin Rosen
Based on Watership Down a novel authored by Richard Adams
7.7 stars on IMDb (27299 reviewers)
82% on Rotten Tomatoes (33 reviewers)
Rating: PG

People have complained about the violent themes present in the film, especially since it was marketed as a family-friendly film for children, resulting in the trauma of a generation.

Review:

Watership Down is about a group of rabbits who flee their old warren upon one of their number receiving a prophetic vision about its destruction. After finding the perfect place for their new warren (the titular Watership Down), the group have to find does to make kits as the does of the group had died on the journey through a series of unfortunate accidents (one was taken by a hawk for example). They find a nearby overpopulated rabbit warren, with a surplus of does ruled by a cruel leader. With the assistance of a bird the group had helped earlier, they managed to infiltrate the warren and help the does escape. The rival rabbits track down the escapees to Watership Down and attempt to kill or subdue them, although they are ultimately defeated when some of the main rabbits relay a dog back to their warren.


The film contains themes including loyalty, slavery and the uncaring nature of humans from the rabbits point of view.

I would not recommend this film to young children, due to it's violent themes and gratuitous use of blood. Maybe this film might be suitable for teenagers, but I know I was a timid child and I would have been traumatised by this film if I had watched it when I was younger.

I would recommend this film for anyone 13 and up and even then with warnings of violence and blood.

Netflix Remake

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/27/bbc-remake-watership-down-with-less-violence-to-avoid-scarring-c/

There is slated to be a series on Netflix with more emphasis on female characters and toned down violence, although the mature themes will remain. I will reserve my opinion on this development as I do not know enough about the Netflix series to really tell if it would be good or not.