Ferdinand (December 15, 2017)

This film, produced by Blue Sky Studios, was based on Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson's 1936 children's book The Story of Ferdinand and tells the story of a gentle pacifist bull named Ferdinand who refuses to participate in bullfighting but is forced back into the arena where his beliefs are challenged by being faced off against the world's greatest bullfighter. It is a charmingly animated film with cute character designs and nice scenery. It is not particularly special and does not break any new grounds, but it serves its purpose and compliments the narrative. Ferdinand is a very likable character and her relationship with Nina is heartwarming. The story is simple but entertaining, though it is stretched out too long with a lot of filler that does nothing to move the plot along. For example, the scene in the slaughterhouse was an unnecessary detour for a character who was annoying from the start. Overall, Ferdinand is exactly what you’d expect, a wholesome, no frills children’s film with a lovable titular protagonist that is fine but not particularly memorable and slightly overstays its welcome.

Final Rating: 5/10