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Babe (1995)

A review by Damian Cannon.
Copyright © Movie Reviews UK 1997
It's great to find a children's movie where the characters aren't patronising, morals aren't hammered home and there's humour which appeals to all ages. Babe is just such a story - watch as it effortlessly rises above the sea of drab "kids" films. The star is an appealing, unbiased and frankly lovable little piglet torn from the bosom of her mother and the mechanical hell of a pig breeding complex. In a twist of fate Babe ends up at the sheep farm owned by Farmer Hoggett and his homely wife, destined for the Christmas dinner table.

Being all alone Babe is adopted by Fly and her puppies until she gets her bearings and learns what being a pig entails. Without a trace of self-pity every other animal knows their place and destiny - apart from a renegade duck who dreams of being a rooster and crowing at day-break. Falling in with this crazy fowl leads Babe into deep trouble with the Farmer. However, when Christmas arrives we find that Hoggett has a soft spot for his pig and duck graces their dining table. This turns out to be a lucky move though as Babe stumbles on a spot of sheep-rustling and alerts the farm, showing that perhaps there's more to this piglet than meets the eye.

Soon Babe proves herself as a 'sheep-pig' by talking to the sheep, rather than menacing them like the dogs. As Farmer Hoggett warms to his new apprentice (to the bemusement of his wife) Babe continues to prove her ability, trustworthiness and good character in a series of life-or-death episodes. Hoggett, trusting his instincts, hatches a plan to enter Babe into the local sheep-herding competition. The outcome may not seem to be in doubt but there are plenty of cliff-hanger moments on the way to a joyous conclusion.

To watch Babe is to experience real life-affirming joy, simple humour and amazement at the blending of live-action and animatronics. The story, laid out in several chapters, runs perfectly allowing us to get to know the characters and appreciate life on this old-world farm, somehow marooned in the present day. Every animal has a clearly defined character which seems immediately appropriate while the live-action scenes are superb, yet never seem out of place. For great entertainment I cannot rate Babe highly enough providing, as it does, humour which appeals to children and adults alike together with a fine tale. Also, watch out for the singing mice!

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