Many, if not most, of us read the same dozen or so “important” novels while in school. Stuff like The Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird, All the King’s Men, etc. One of the usual go-tos is George Orwell’s 1945 novella Animal Farm. The satirical allegory of a proposed utopia turning quickly into a dystopia uses farm animals—chiefly pigs—to showcase a version of the Russian Revolution. It shows the animals rising up against their oppressors and setting up their own government, only to fall into Stalinist hellscape. Which is why the trailer for Andy Serkis’ new animated film of the book feels so, very badly tone-deaf.
Like…what?
Now, I have to say, with Serkis directing and Nicholas Stoller writing the screenplay, it’s entirely possible the movie itself will reflect the tone of the novella. Darkly comedic, no doubt, but in service of the allegory at hand. This is how idealistic people can quickly fall into totalitarianism. So why, then, is the trailer so goddamn goofy?! It looks like it’s trying to be the same kind of movie as, like, Over the Hedge or something. And the use of Portugal. The Man’s “Feel It Still,” a trailer-ass needle drop if ever there was one, feels even more out of place.
Certainly this kind of movie is a tough sell. The distributors, Angel Studios, have a tough job ahead of them. I am a bit dubious as they’re a “values-based” entertainment company responsible for propaganda like 2023’s Sound of Freedom. In a statement, the studio additionally says, “The movie is anti communism and anti-cronyism.” Animal Farm has an impressive voice cast, including Seth Rogen, Glenn Close, Gaten Matarazzo, Kieran Culkin, and Woody Harrelson. But, oof magoof, this trailer looks very bad. And, if early reactions are any indication, its 4.3 on IMDb and mid-to-very-bad critical reaction don’t give me a ton of faith. Pun intended.
But, we’ll have to see for ourselves. Animal Farm hits cinemas May 1.
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.
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