Reviews & Ratings for
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110 out of 119 people found the following review useful:

An astounding film

Author: ChristopherRice from Stamford, CT
17 December 2003

I was dragged to this film by my girlfriend (now wife) when it first came out in fall of 1995. I had zero interest in what seemed to me nothing more than a kids movie. I recall sitting in the theater before the movie commenced, looking at my watch and estimating the time it would end, when my life could begin again after this rude 90 minute interruption.

Then the film began. The moment Babe said a tearful goodbye to his mother as she was being led off to the slaughter house ("Pig Paradise", the narrator says), I was hooked. What stood out to me was not the tearful "Goodbye Mom", but the fact that after we see Babe's mom loaded into the truck, the camera goes back to Babe, siting in the corner of his industrial pen, sobbing profusely. This moment, maybe 90 seconds into the movie, is filmed so well, so perfect, that instead of coming off as melodramatic, it is heartrending. I know that word is used often to describe this film, but I do not know how else to describe it. This is one of many "heartrending" moments in this beautiful film.

This is by far the best childrens film I have ever seen, but it really is a mistake to even call it a childrens film. It is simply a great film. A film that shows how wondrous things can happen as a result of common decency; how any individual can triumph if they believe in themselves; how vital is the help of family and friends in life's arduous journey.

This a film not to be missed. It should have beaten Braveheart.

87 out of 90 people found the following review useful:

Fantastic, a true piece of art

Author: Bobino-2 from Canada
14 July 2004

"Babe" is one of my favorite movies.

A lot of people laugh at me when I say that. But I know that this film is one of the best ones ever made. It's simple, beautiful, positive and original.

The story is about a farm pig who wants to become a sheep dog. Pretty strange considering a pig's place is in people's plates. But Babe has something the sheep dogs don't have: gallantry. His kindness, determination and good intentions will make him a truly unique individual, one that stands out from his peers, proving that no matter who you are, you can make a difference.

I love the way the story is made. It is cut into chapters with a bit of narration, giving us the warm "grandfather story" or "old school" feeling. It's a very comfortable ambiance, and every animal brings its personality into making an awesome story.

Now I am sure you've all seen talking animal movies before, with voice-overs. Babe took it one step further with the animals' lips being in sync with their lines! Talk about realism! The sets are very friendly to the eyes and contribute into making this movie a classic.

Babe is one great movie for everyone to see, it's magical and enchanting!

The Master T Score: ***** out of 5 Stars

70 out of 75 people found the following review useful:

This Is About As Good As It Gets For A Family Movie

Author: ccthemovieman-1 from United States
19 March 2006

When this came out -- years ago, I thought, "Wow, this is pretty amazing" and since then movie audiences have been amazed at a number of camera tricks, computer-enhanced people, animals, monsters, and who knows what....so this kind of story with fun special effects is no longer is unique.

However, it's so charming, so nice a story that it should hold up as solid entertainment for a long, long time. It has proved to be anything but a flash-in-the-pan. This movie will endure. It's also a beautiful film on DVD with brilliant colors and some very rich visuals.

Filmed in rural Australia, the scenery is magnificent and so is the house that is featured in the film. It looks like some old-fashioned gingerbread house. The animals are entertaining, talking to one another like humans but not looking hokey in the process. In other words, the dubbing is well done.

The main character, "Babe," the little pig, is the nicest, most innocent "character" you could ever hope to find. Listening to him talk is heart-warming most of the time and sometimes it's heart-breaking. The best comic relief is provided by the goose who wants to be a rooster. That may sound like it's geared toward little kids, but it isn't. I haven't found an adult friend yet who didn't like this film.

It also was good to see James Cromwell play a nice guy, too. Most other times he seems to play profane and corrupt cops or government officials. Here, he's just a nice old farmer who blends in perfectly with the surroundings. His wife is a bit annoying, but not too bad.

This is a wonderful, sweet-hearted comedy-drama with a nice ending, too, guaranteed to leave you with a smile or a tear, or both. This is one of the best "family" movies of all time.

58 out of 60 people found the following review useful:

Positively Sublime

Author: roidessinges from United States
5 June 2005

An extremely quirky film that you won't mind watching with the kids. Not full of sappy platitudes, this strange little tale of a pig that wants to be a sheep dog is extremely effective in it's message without hitting you in the head with it. No doubt because it wasn't made in Hollywood... we Americans have never been good at telling children's stories without being condescending and heavy-handed with the moral message.

The story takes place in some fairy tale amalgam of all the rural cultures of the English-speaking world - Sometimes it seems like England, other times Kansas, Australia, New Zealand, it's really never anywhere particular. The acting is superb, the animatronics are unrecognizable as such, and James Cromwell is superb as the taciturn farmer willing to give the little pig a chance.

42 out of 45 people found the following review useful:

Blew me away!

Author: (yahweh25@hotmail.com) from U.S. Virgin Islands
5 August 2003

I was one of the biggest detractors of this film when I initially found out it was nominated for an academy award back in 1995. A talking pig? You gotta be kiddin' me! Then, months after Braveheart walked with the award, I finally saw the infamous "Babe." Wow! Was I ever wrong. This movie not only deserved the nomination, but was a close, close second out of the five nominees in my book (Braveheart rightfully won, but I would have had no trouble had Babe won). I love this film because it has a sweet lining, yet tells a deep story about resolve, goodness, and the struggles of life in a very large sense. It makes you think, but more importantly, it makes you WANT to think about how all our lives are interconnected and what can be done by each seemingly insignificant individual to make the world a better place. That's saying a lot, when a guy who loves stuff like True Romance digs on a piggy movie. If you haven't seen this, buy it immediately.

31 out of 36 people found the following review useful:

Disarmingly charming and wonderful

Author: bob the moo from United Kingdom
19 July 2002

Babe is separated from his family and becomes friends with some of the animals on his new farm. He learns that each animal has a role to play and that both he and Ferdinand the duck are fated to be lunch! Both take new roles to escape their fate and Babe tries to become a sheepdog. As Farmer Hoggett begins to notice the unusual way Babe can work with the sheep he begins to groom him for that role – much to the worry of his wife and the other farm animals.

Written by the guy who wrote the Mad Max films – that's what kills me. I know it's adapted but how can the Mad Max writer manage to deliver such a sweet film that is unassuming and comic and heart warming. The plot is great as it is adapted from `The Sheeppig' but Miller's script adds so many comic touches that it's funny throughout. The characters are all well written so that we care about them and get easily drawn in.

It's directed well and again feels fresh and different – whether it's the chapter set up or the use of the narrator or the way that the singing mice make the links it all works well. Because it is gentle and unassuming I found myself involved in it so easily and the themes of finding your own path and friendship are not rammed down your throat but just sit there if you want to get them. I've seen this several times and the silent, wonderful climax to the sheepdog trials makes me choke everytime (even if it is predictable).

All the voices are good and the use of animals is faultless. The use of animatronics is a little ropey at times but the sense of goodwill the film gave me extended to overlooking these minor complaints. James Cromwell is just superb as the human face in this drama – everytime I see him now I can only hear him say `that'll do pig'. Babe is a great hero and you feel for him from the start to the end – when he gives a little satisfied sigh it's difficult not to feel warm inside.

Overall this is one of the best children's films I've seen – it's light and unassuming and not a classic but it is comic, gentle and ultimately heart warming – what more do you want?

32 out of 39 people found the following review useful:

Genuinely sweet and wonderful

Author: Paul-103 from Washington DC
1 February 2000

This is one of the sweetest movies I have ever seen. Not preachy, but yet extends a message of love and harmony.

Just loved the pig, and James Cromwell was terrific as the somewhat befuddled but good-hearted farmer. The climax is a wonderfully quiet and touching scene. It's a movie about friendship and trust, you should see it, no matter how old you are.

24 out of 24 people found the following review useful:

Family Classic

Author: Jakethemuss from United Kingdom
26 August 2007

This is a family film in the classic sense of the word, and it'd be hard to find a more charming and heartfelt tale. Ideally for children, but it can be enjoyed by adults too. It is a fantasy world where animals speak just like humans do.....albeit not in Australian accents, which is where the film is meant to be set.

The hero of this tale is a young pig named Babe, who is transfered from the pig pen, to the village fête, to the hands of Farmer Hoggett who wins the little fellow in a prize raffle(James Cromwell). It is on the farm he meets the locals, and is taken under the wing by a kind sheepdog named Fly, who has been characterised as the warm and motherly type. Not so warm is Rex (voiced by Hugo Weaving of Agent Smith fame), her growling no nonsense other half, who believes pigs do not belong with sheepdogs.

Babe is portrayed as the personification of innocence, and his gleeful and inquisitive nature brings him into contact with a host of farmyard animals. Not too sure why they felt he needed a furry little toupee between his ears, but each to his own. As Babe gets closer to Fly and the sheepdog role, he even begins to assume this role, much to Rex's dismay. But Babe has an awful lot of ambition for a little animal, and his heart is set on being a "sheep-pig".

There are moments of sadness in this film, such as loss and death, but it is mainly sweet natured and enchanting. It is one of the few Universal rated films I enjoy watching, and that is saying something for me!

29 out of 34 people found the following review useful:

Simple, likable feel-gooder

Author: kintopf432 (kintopf432@hotmail.com) from St. Paul, MN
22 March 2004

A simple, likable feel-gooder. In lesser hands, 'Babe' might easily have risked excruciating death by treacle, or by camp. It does have a couple weak spots (those non-sequitur mouse songs, for instance, do nothing for me, and I always wonder why they used fake American accents for the idiomatically British dialogue). But for the most part the inventive direction and sense of genuine whimsy (not unlike those of 'Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain') steer it away from the most dangerous pitfalls. The blend of CGI, puppetry, and real animals is subtle and wonderfully believable, with the 'performances' of Fly and Rex standing out in their eloquence and realism. Much has been made, of course, of James Cromwell's acting here, and he certainly is an authentic, very charming presence throughout. But Magda Szubanski's work shouldn't be overshadowed either--even her walk is rich in comic detail. In the end, there's not a whole lot to this film, but the good things outweigh the bad, the dark edges keep it all from getting too sappy, and some of the more expressive moments truly achieve a kind of magic. 8 out of 10.

20 out of 22 people found the following review useful:

A Pig's Fascinating Tale

Author: Chrysanthepop from Fraggle Rock
8 July 2008

Remember the times when a parent or a grandparent would read to a child in bed, so that the child can visualize the story and comfortably sink into his/her dreamworld? Well, 'Babe' feels like such a story. It is a heartwarming tale about a Pig (called Babe by her 'Mom') and her friends at the farm. Chris Noonan executes it in such a wonderful way. The film is broken into chapters (just like in a book) and the lovable talking animals appear like very real and humanistic characters. the lip-syncing is impeccable. Also, I liked that the film doesn't completely refrain from reality as it does show that pigs are killed for meat or that puppies are given away or sold to others. It stays honest. The voice-acting is very well done. Christine Cavanaugh's childlike voice remarkably fits Babe. Miriam Margolyes, Danny Mann, Hugo Weaving and Miriam Flynn are all pleasing. James Cromwell is wonderfully restrained. The setting is a make-belief story-book farm. I found myself wondering, 'Is this an English farm?' and at the same time being confused that the people were speaking with an American accent but there's really no need to pick on that because it simply doesn't matter. Just enjoy the beautiful farm and the lovely characters. 'Babe' is one of the finest family films. Kids will surely love it. Heck, even I loved it when I saw it during my late teens...and I still love it as an adult.

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