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Animal Farm

Animal Farm

He's got the world in an UPROAR!

195472 minApprovedMidcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Directors
John Halas, Joy Batchelor
Starring
Gordon Heath, Maurice Denham, Gilles Cheslton, Eva Kaya

Animals on a farm lead a revolution against the farmers to put their destiny in their own hands. However this revolution eats their own children and they cannot avoid corruption.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Animal Farm?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Animal Farm on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Animal Farm?

Animal Farm earns 7 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Rousing.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Animal Farm worth watching?

Animal Farm's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all films, from 69K ratings across 4 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of films

75th percentile among Animation83rd percentile among 1950s
Acclaim (how much people like it)79th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

70 /100

79th percentile of all films

70th percentile among Animation82nd percentile among 1950s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

79th percentile among Animation83rd percentile among 1950s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 67% · Audience 66%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

  • NominatedBAFTA Awards· Best Animated Film

Reach

How many have seen it

90th percentile

69K ratings across platforms

79th percentile among Animation96th percentile among 1950s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

Box office

Budget£93K

In British pound, not converted to dollars.

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a faithful but simplified retelling that softens Orwell's bleak ending.

Fans praised

  • faithful adaptation of the Orwell allegory
  • distinctive animation style and atmosphere
  • impressive vocal work by Maurice Denham

Detractors panned

  • changed ending waters down the novel's power
  • heavy narration and rushed, shallow storytelling
  • CIA funding skews the satire into propaganda

What stands out

Atmosphere80

Dark, grim tone effectively conveys oppression and fear

Originality80

Pioneering as Britain's first animated feature; bold adult themes

ActingDivisive75

Maurice Denham's one-man voice work widely praised; some find it lacking

Cinematography70

Visually distinctive with Soviet poster-inspired art and muted palette

Plot and storyDivisive65

Story follows the book but is condensed and rushes key beats

CharactersDivisive60

Allegorical stand-ins clear but simplified, lacking depth

Pacing50

Rushed and uneven, especially in the second half

EndingDivisive45

Optimistic second revolution ending widely criticized as weak and unfaithful

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 10 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 14 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 16 points higher than US viewers.

Watch experience

What is Animal Farm like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you fired up. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicElegiac
Heaviest: late
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its allegorical material with earnest gravity, never winking at the audience, delivering its satirical critique through a straight-faced, solemn narrative.
The rideThe film maintains an oppressive, somber atmosphere throughout, with the emotional weight culminating in Boxer's betrayal and the animals' final revolt.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from revolution through the pigs' gradual takeover to a final confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

Rousing · 10% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves viewers inspired by the animals' revolt while intellectually pondering the timeless warning about the abuse of power.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe animals rise up against the oppressive human farmer and then against the corrupt pig dictatorship, but the narrative is more about cycles of oppression than a classic monster-vanquishing arc.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsOppression · 4% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how revolutionary ideals are corrupted by authoritarian leaders who consolidate power through fear and manipulation.
StanceThe film presents the corruption of revolutionary ideals as a cautionary tale about the dangers of totalitarianism, urging vigilance against tyranny.

The world

TimelessRuralDomesticInstitutionalMagical realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Matyas Seiber
SettingA farm in the English countryside, an allegorical microcosm of a totalitarian state
MusicThe score echoes Prokofiev and employs leitmotifs for key characters, underscoring the story's gravitas.

Content guide

Is Animal Farm okay for kids?

Approved

Animal Farm is rated Approved. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (65/100), sexual content at mild (19/100), language at mild (20/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (61/100) and frightening material at intense (68/100). Overall it is heavier than 53% of unrated films.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • UKU
  • AustraliaG
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • Netherlands6
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 56% of all filmsHeavier than 53% of unrated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 59%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an unrated film
heavier than 24%
Profanity
Mild
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 26%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an unrated film
heavier than 84%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an unrated film
heavier than 66%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material, violence, and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what unrated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Animal Farm have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Animal Farm?

Cast

Gordon Heath
as Narrator
Maurice Denham
as All Animals
Gilles Cheslton
as Muriel
Eva Kaya
as Jessie

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Animal Farm?

Movies like Animal Farm include Metropia (2009), Alphaville (1965) and Punishment Park (1971). Of the 8 closest matches, most are stories of oppressive states, and half are films about oppression.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 8 share its world: dystopian. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Animal Farm?

635 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dystopian. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.