Babe

Starring: James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski, Christine Cavanagh (voice), Miriam Margolyes (voice), Danny Mann (voice), Hugo Weaving (voice), Miriam Flynn (voice), Russi Taylor (voice), Roscoe Lee Brown (narrator)
Directed by: Chris Noonan
Rating: G
Genre: Comedy, Drama
1995

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A pig is raised by sheepdogs and tries to find a path to avoid being eaten.

Review:

Tim: Babe was a big movie in 1995. It was the 28th highest grossing movie that year, was nominated for 7 Academy Awards (including Best Picture!) and it won 1, Best Visual Effects. It also spurred one of the great movie lines of all time, "That'll do, Pig. That'll do." The movie itself doesn't quite live up to this pedigree. I remember liking (but not loving) the movie when it was released. I watched it again, a quarter century later (and this time, with my two kids) and felt the same way. It's good, but it's far from great.

Part of the issue with evaluating this movie is that it features one of the all-time great movie endings. You have Babe, totally out of his element, pushed into the limelight of a sheepdog competition. You have Farmer Hoggett, risking everything on a bold, insane idea that might just pay off. You have the redemption of a difficult sheepdog. You have excitement, intrigue, and then those last iconic lines. The ending of the film is incredible and it gives you such a wonderful feeling as the movie ends. You want to stand up and applaud. It's a beautiful thing. That is the movie's most enduring legacy. Even though I knew how it ended, I was riveted during the final scenes. My kids were incredibly engaged, too. It's hard not to get a little misty, watching that conclusion.

However, as great as the ending is, the rest of the movie doesn't quite live up to it. Sure, it's important- it establishes the characters, the Hoggett farm, everything we need to know going into the climax. The problem is that none of the scenes are especially great. It's all perfectly fine as background information, but it's not especially compelling. Some of the scenes are a bit dark and challenging for younger viewers. I wouldn't say I especially loved any of the characters for the bulk of the movie. There's annoying characters, difficult characters, zany characters, but none of them are truly lovable. Babe might get the closest, but I don't think the film does a great job of establishing the character. You like Babe because the movie's named after him and you know you're supposed to. Now, this all changes at the end of the film, as the characters and the time you invested in them is redeemed. It doesn't change the fact that the bulk of the movie is just okay.

The visual effects are indeed impressive. The combination of real animals with animatronics was an impressive feat and the visuals are seamless. This is a huge benefit to the film, as it allows you to get pulled into the story and watching these characters talk. It's definitely a technical achievement, as you'd expect from the film's sole Academy Award win. It translates into a believable story about talking animals.

James Cromwell is excellent in the lead role. There's no doubt that he contributes significantly to the film. Much of the film relies on him. The supporting cast is fine, but there weren't really any standouts. It's surprising how critical Cromwell is to this film. I did enjoy Hugo Weaving's voice work, but that has only a minimal effect on the final film. Cromwell is definitely chiefly responsible for the cast's contributions. He did receive an Academy Award nomination (Best Supporting Actor).

I know Babe is a beloved movie by many, and more power to them. I enjoyed the film. However, I just believe that an honest assessment of the film is that it's a decent movie for the majority, and it has an all-time great ending. I think that's what people most remember and that drives their pleasant thoughts about the movie. George Miller and Chris Noonan absolutely did a solid job with this film, but as good as it is, I also think it's just a tad overrated.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, Babe: Pig in the City