Seth Rogen's new film shows children how tyrants like Trump manipulate the masses

In the age of President Donald Trump, American children need to see "Animal Farm."

Based on satirist George Orwell's classic 1945 novella of the same name, “Animal Farm” loosely adapts the original’s plot into an age-appropriate animated film. Directed by Andy Serkis, written by Nicholas Stoller and starring Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Woody Harrelson, Glenn Close and Laverne Cox, it tells the story of a livestock rebellion in which pigs, sheep, chickens, cows and other animals overthrow their farmer and take over his farm. When Orwell first wove this tale more than 80 years ago, it reflected his disillusionment with left-wing politics: A democratic socialist himself, Orwell was dismayed and horrified as the Soviet Union descended into tyranny after the corrupt Joseph Stalin ran Leon Trotsky out of the government.

Flash forward to the 21st century and it’s shocking: The exact same dynamics that Orwell despised in the leftist anti-establishment define the right-wing populism promulgated by Trump. Given that the main filmmakers and stars are explicitly anti-Trump themselves, it is reasonable to surmise that these parallels are deliberate.

As depicted in the Angel Studios version, a boar named Napoleon (Rogen) orchestrates a coup against a pig named Snowball (Cox), a liberal-coded pig (and a character that, in Cox's hands, seems more like Hillary Clinton than Trotsky) who is smart and sincerely means well but cannot conceal her patronizing attitude toward the masses. Discovering and resenting her condescension, the other animals turn on Snowball and follow Napoleon’s lead, who panders to them while secretly plotting to sell them out for his personal profit.

If all of this reminds you of Trump, again, I doubt that was an accident. Just as Orwell criticized Stalin and his supporters for being no better than the aristocrats they deposed, Serkis and Stoller recognize that Trump’s appeal similarly depends on their supporters failing to see how their supposed liberators are exactly like other oppressors. In true Trump-ian fashion, Rogen’s Napoleon wheedles, bribes, gaslights and bullies as necessary to convince a population which craves economic and social justice that he will provide it. Behind the scenes, however, Napoleon ruthlessly funnels all of the farm's wealth and power to himself and his cronies.

I enjoyed everything about "Animal Farm": It's clever, colorful and well-served by its talented cast, especially Rogen as a Napoleon who mixes Trumpist values with Rogen-esque shtick. My positive view on “Animal Farm," however, is not the consensus opinion. Most of my fellow Rotten Tomatoes critics panned “Animal Farm,” complaining (to quote The Wrap’s William Bibbiani) that “the changes [from the book] aren’t an improvement. Most of them only call attention to the power of Orwell’s novella, and the comparative powerlessness of this new version.” To an extent, Bibbiani is correct: Orwell wrote his book for adults while Serkis made his film for young people, and therefore the book is more incisive, layered and thought-provoking than the motion picture.

Yet just because a movie doesn’t live up to a great book, that doesn’t mean the movie itself isn’t also great. Indeed, in this case, trying to faithfully adapt the source material would likely have backfired. I think of Victor Hugo's novel "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," which in my opinion is superior to the nevertheless-excellent animated Disney film. While I won't spoil the book's plot by revealing the changes, suffice to say that they are both substantial and justifiable, as the Disney film had to remove much of the dark source material so the final product would be suitable for young people. Serkis and Stoller faced the same challenge and rose to it, thereby achieving something quite impressive with this motion picture. For “Animal Farm,” the filmmakers needed to tell an entertaining and kid-appropriate story that nevertheless, like Orwell's novella, effectively explains through its plot how tyrants manipulate their citizens. “Animal Farm” accomplishes this so deftly that I suspect some of critics are taking that feat for granted. Unlike the two previous cinematic iterations of "Animal Farm" — a 1954 animated film and a 1999 live-action adaptation — this one works overtime to be appropriate for kids of all ages.

So yes, Rogen’s Napoleon and his goons are broadly characterized, their machinations easy for all but the tiniest tots to comprehend. Yes, the movie is full of cutesy images, catchy songs, toilet humor and other accoutrements one usually sees in mainstream animated family fare. This is as it should be: “Animal Farm” can appeal to children as much as any “Despicable Me" movie (and, like that franchise, this one looks like it was drawn by Illumination, although Angel Studios made it). Importantly, though, "Animal Farm" is crystal clear in transmitting Orwell’s main message: That one should distrust charismatic leaders who promise to help the masses, then manipulate and bully so that they can become dictators themselves.

We live in an era in which Americans need to trust their brains, eyes and ears instead of listening when told to respect corrupt and self-aggrandizing leaders. At a time when Trump is using every conceivable tool to become an American Napoleon — trying to steal elections, exacerbate racial divisions, profit from power and silence critics (especially after the attempts on his life) — kids need to watch “Animal Farm" so they can learn its crucial lesson: Think for yourself, not as the powerful want you to.

Frankly, their parents should learn that lesson too. Democracy depends on it.

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