It is obvious that there is a large amount of source material for the movie, Watership Down; it is obvious that there is untold depth to this story. I believe that this is a powerful thing for a story: if the author knows more of his world than he lets on, then it is very complete, but you are given what is useful to the story and not burdened with what is immaterial.
However, in Watership Down ("down" as in a hill or sandy dune), you are not privy to information that should be there, that would make the movie easier to follow as it jumps from one thing to another. It moves far too fast for how much is happening. You don't have time to focus on how they got into whatever situation they are in, there is rarely even explanation, it's even hard to even learn the names of the characters because they don't have time to build them. It seems like it would be a good companion film if one had already read the book. However, if that is the case, one could just read the book, right?
Well, hopefully I will answer this question someday after having read the book. Because the movie was good enough for me to want more. I have been harsh thus far, but I do believe the movie is good and has ideas that people should listen to! All at the same time! It doesn't get overly preachy or anything, but it does wax allegorical.
It doesn't do so in a manner fit for a kid, though, even if it is animated. It would scare a toddler out of their diaper very justifiably with it's creepy disembodied heads and ebbing gore. It was creepy to me: an adult male from the US who grew up playing video games. Which, as everyone knows, are filled with non-stop violence, right? This is my caution: if you can handle the image of a poor bunny being disemboweled, then you should watch the movie; if Bambi was hard to watch, then don't even try Watership Down.
Watership Down is an "Inexpert (violent) Abridgment", in video form, of something which it does suggest is a good story. The problem with the medium: the length is just too limiting. This movie could easily have been four times as long. Broken up, of course. I am interested in the 1999 TV series.... However, based on how many episodes some of the characters are in, I suspect there were a lot of changes and that it remains unfinished.
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