I understand that most critical reviews of the film focus on its fidelity to the source material, but I’d rather not dive into that debate. To me, a film should bring something fresh and distinct from what’s already been done. The new Animal Farm movie updates the story to reflect our current era, and it feels strikingly accurate to the world we live in today. George Orwell’s novella was a cynical warning that revolutions often simply replace one tyrant with another. Yet applying that same message now essentially tells people: “Don’t revolt—because the new ruler might turn out to be an even worse dictator.” That completely undercuts the whole point of any revolution or rebellion. Revolution should be against the power, not against the poor.
Like the 1954 film, Animal Farm gives the message that a revolution is a must whenever there is brutal oppression. If it doesn't succeed the first time, don't give up hope, try a second revolution, and keep trying, and this is the core message of the film. However, we are not living in an age where revolutions are done using swords and sticks in hand. The world has changed, and now we are ruled by greedy corporates, opportunistic politicians, and crony capitalists - and the films include all those, whether you agree or not. Here's how the film flows - Oppression -> Revolution -> Freedom -> Socialism -> Capitalism -> Dictatorship -> Revolution -> Freedom.
The film is framed around Lucky, a young piglet (voiced by Gaten Matarazzo) who is Snowball’s former protégé. He starts idealistic, becomes disillusioned, and ultimately leads the final revolt. The farm is repossessed by a bank (due to Mr. Jones’s debts) and slated for sale to Pilkington Industries. The animals think they’re going on vacation to a “laughterhouse” but realize it’s a slaughterhouse. Snowball incites the uprising and becomes their first leader and installs democracy with seven rules/laws and a socialist scheme - 4 Legs Good, 2 Legs Bad, No Clothes, No Beds, No Drinking Naughty Juice, No Killing, All Animals Are Equal.
Snowball violates the seventh rule the moment she begins to see herself as intellectually superior to the other animals. Napoleon, ever the schemer, exploits this flaw, lures her into a trap, and banishes her from the farm forever. With Snowball gone, Napoleon rises to power unchallenged. The animals choose him because he comes across as clever and entertaining, while Snowball had seemed dull and serious by comparison. Napoleon’s effortless ascent without any real opposition mirrors a familiar pattern in real life: societies often mistake masculinity and a loud, brash style for the hallmarks of strong leadership. If you’re Indian, this parallel hits especially close to home.
At first, Napoleon treats all animals as equals, but slowly and ultimately it becomes, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” One by one, he breaks all the rules written on the silo and writes his own version that suits him. Other farm animals continue their blind trust in him and keep following the new rules. Slowly, Napoleon starts walking on two legs and becomes what the animals earlier considered bad.
When the farm faced a severe food shortage, Napoleon refused to scale back his own lavish lifestyle. Instead of rallying the animals for a hard-work solution, he immediately turned to Pilkington for rescue. Pilkington agreed to help, but only if the animals let her build a dam that would quietly destroy Animal Farm in the process. Napoleon’s greed didn’t end there. He went on to plan the sale of every non-pig animal for slaughter — the ultimate act of a politician who shields his own class and caste while throwing everyone else to the wolves.
In the end, Lucky spearheads a second revolution and brings down the tyranny of the pig, who had become indistinguishable from a human. Animal Farm was pushed to the brink of destruction, with countless animals perishing along the way, yet in the final hour, the farm was saved. Freedom and democracy both exact a heavy price — and protecting them demands an even steeper cost. The animals reclaimed their liberty only after two full revolutions. While Lucky may have rescued them from Napoleon’s grip, he could easily become the next Napoleon himself if the other animals fail to stay vigilant and self-aware. One crucial lesson stands out: the animals did not rise against Napoleon until they were teetering on the edge of extinction. Seth Rogen’s voice made the power-hungry dictator Napoleon utterly convincing.
The only real weakness in the film is its messaging. In hindsight, it ends up suggesting that socialism is superior to capitalism — precisely the point that many critics have seized on (the novella was satire on communism). After staying politically subtle for most of its runtime, the movie abruptly sidesteps the entire capitalism-versus-socialism debate. Had it shown the two systems ultimately co-existing — each tempering the flaws of the other — I would have called its messaging flawless. But, like every revolution in history, the animals’ uprising was imperfect. Democracy itself is imperfect; it demands constant checks and balances. If we begin following any leader blindly, the rules quietly change. Before long, everything else can disappear, leaving only the leader — who will gladly sell you out to save itself.
With time, power corrupts every leader and every regime. Humans turn into pigs in their lust for power. Pigs start walking on two legs and betraying every ideal they once claimed to fight for. In today’s world, we don’t need a film that urges us to submit to a cruel present leader simply because the next one might be worse. This adaptation keeps the timeless warning about corrupted power, but cleverly updates its target to big corporations and rampant consumerism. It adds an adorable hero, plenty of jokes, and a feel-good triumph so that kids and families walk out feeling hopeful rather than haunted. It’s entertaining and visually polished, yet it sacrifices much of the original’s sharp teeth and political precision in exchange for broad appeal. It’s not a great film, but it’s a solidly good one.
Final Score- [7/10]