Watership Down (1978)

Watership Down (1978) is an animated adventure-drama based on Richard Adams’s novel. When Fiver, a small, prophetic rabbit, foresees the destruction of his Sandleford warren, his brother Hazel leads a handful of followers on a desperate exodus to find a safe new home. What begins as a quest for pasture quickly becomes a harrowing odyssey across the English countryside, where the rabbits must outwit predators, evade humans, survive harsh landscapes, and face betrayal from their own kind. Their journey culminates at the promised Watership Down, but peace is short-lived: the band must confront the militaristic, totalitarian warren of Efrafa and its terrifying leader, General Woundwort. The film explores leadership, loyalty, freedom versus oppression, and the cost of survival, blending pastoral beauty with unexpectedly brutal and dark moments. The animation and storytelling combine to create an atmospheric fable that is both epic in scope and intimate in its focus on friendship and sacrifice. What you’ll experience: - A thrilling, emotional journey with moments of wonder, tension, and heartbreak. - Lush, evocative animation and a moody, immersive tone. - Mature, sometimes disturbing scenes of violence and loss—this is not a gentle children’s cartoon. - Thought-provoking themes about courage, community, and resistance against tyranny. Expect to be moved, unsettled, and impressed by the film’s dramatic power and moral complexity.

Actors: John Hurt, Richard Briers, Ralph Richardson

Directors: Martin Rosen, John Hubley

Runtime: 91 min

Genres: Adventure, Animation, Drama

6.9 /10 64 /100 7.6 /10 7.0 /10