Product: Bebe, Un Coninito Va Muy Lejos (Babe -- Spanish edition) [VHS] (1995)
Rating: 5.0
One of the Rarest of Movies
Is it pointless to write a review on a movie that was produced 15 years ago? Or that was nominated for a slew of Oscar awards, and has therefore already generated a litany of viewer reviews covering every aspect of the movie? Or whose simplicity belies a richness and intricacy that defies simple explanation? Indeed, it probably is. But as we approach the two-decade mark since Babe was released, I'd nevertheless like to take a moment to write just why this movie is one of the most powerful and touching I've ever seen.Babe is thought of as a kid's movie, and, in some ways, it is. But it's a mistake to sum this work up as solely a kid's movie. This is a movie that strikes deep into the soul and heart of the viewer, one that pricks at some of the basic undercurrents of life itself, and forces one to rethink these deep issues through the lens of innocence, honesty, and curiosity. Yes, it's delightful; yes, its funny; indeed, its charming. But it is far more than that. This work deeply challenges us to think about "the way things are," and brings forth some of the realities of life in a way that few movies ever do. Yes, kids can watch this and enjoy it from beginning to end. But virtually any adult should be able to see within its first five minutes that this is not your typical movie "fare" - kid or otherwise - and that the story has an emotive power and subtext that is both completely unexpected and incredibly rich.The story in Babe is straightforward. A pig ends up on a farm, tries to figure out his "place" on that farm, eventually discovers that he, too, has a place there, in spite of his own fears that he might not. Oh, yes, and he's a talented creature, too. That's about it.Actually, that's the main storyline that supports a magical world of powerful, emotional, and thought-provoking events, a laboratory test tube of the greater world that has more the trappings of a gilded box than a rabbit's cage. But even the entertaining and unusual events of the movie are only the setting for the more important themes of the storyline. Throughout of the story, Babe is faced with a series of realities that challenge his innocence at every turn and threaten to change his sweet nature into a cynical outlook towards all things human and animal. Repeatedly, the pig must make a choice between trust and bitterness as his knowledge of his world expands. He is enticed by a duck trying to rescue his own life through a criminal act; is tormented by a self-serving cat undertaking revenge; and is threatened by a mean-spirited, jealous dog who is living with a life disappointment that colors his daily experience.Babe is befriended by a man, a quiet and diminutive sheep-herder farmer, an unexceptional person who nonetheless somehow senses something unusual about this pig. The sheep-herder-farmer becomes the laughing stock of his friends, family, and community, but is nonetheless undeterred via a "common sense of destiny." That destiny is threatened throughout the story, but although recognized only by Babe and the farmer, that destiny is seen by both through to the end, and we are all the wiser in seeing them do so.So what is "Babe" about? It is about innocence, openness, prejudice, kindness, belief, fairness, and acceptance. But it is about more than that. It is also about sadness, tragedy, endurance, and guilt. It's about "the way things are." And the way that, perhaps, things should be.So, let the kids watch it and enjoy, and enjoy they will. The talking animals, the cuteness of the characters, and the gorgeously played and recorded music is a delightful romp through a magical world of enchanted reality. But as you watch it yourself, be drawn into the thought and reflection surrounding the messages of the film, and reflect on what it means. You'll find it is not a simple, cute movie at all: it's the deepest of examinations of human experience masquerading as kids' entertainment. You'll thoroughly enjoy it, but I assure you, it won't end there.