Review of Watership Down (1978) by John A — 22 Sep 2008

"All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and when they catch you, they will kill you...

But first they must catch you.".

As says Sun God Frith, Lord of the rabbits ancient mythology, which itself illustrates how the first rabbit, El-Ahrairah, through disobedience made all the other animals primed to hunt his race. But to promise survival Frith ensured rabbits would be smart and quick. The amatuer-style opening narrated animation segment suits the legend perfectly, and sets the audience to expect a whole different civilisation among these creatures. They have a world separate to ours.

Based on Richard Adams adored best-seller (which I have yet to read) 'Watership Down' is the charming and traditional tale of a band of rabbits who leave the endangered warren in search of a new home. Fiver, a visionary but fearful youngster, 'sees' the fields of his home swamped in blood, and those moved by his story group together, and journey to the hills of Watership Down.

The watercolour backdrops really evoke the soothing, natural setting of the English countryside, and while the animation is not the best for its day it possess a genuine, artistic hand to effectively bring the characters to life.

For director Martin Rosen really creates individuals from his characters. Hazel is the rabbits born-leader, sensible, wise and logical. Bigwig is the brave fighter, Blackberry the intellectual and cunning thinker, while Dandelion a wonderful storyteller. Fiver is trusted by all of them, but most of the Sandleford warren stay behind, doomed to encounter the terrible fate of human construction.

While Rosen does celebrate all the usual honorable traits of such a journey, from courage, hard-work and trust, he never shields the audience from the rabbits enemies. And there are many, some easier to escape than others; not all the rabbits make it. By building friendships first, we feel more for these rabbits trying to escape the wrath of humanity.

Eventually the group encounter another warren, Efrafah, and plan to entice some females to join them to their new home. But the ruthless and cruel General Woundwort allows nobody to leave, and so Hazel and his clan have another, more frightening challenge ahead.

'Watership Down' is an animated film that crosses boundaries, thanks to some superior source material. It is told like traditional folklore, never simplified to the point of banal or cliched. Rosen observes the spiritual and mythological, and makes his audience care where those rabbits are heading. It is a fine, impressive picture.