Daily Times

Ferdinand, a slightly revolutionary animated family movie, based on Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson’s 1930’s classic children’s book, ‘The story of Ferdinand’, is definitely a ‘love-a-bull’ comedy that proves you can’t judge a bull by its cover. The movie is directed by Carlos Saldanha, starring voices of John Cena (Ferdinand), Kate Mckinnon (The Calming Goat), Bobby Cannavale (Valiente), and Peyton Manning (Guapo), which takes you into an enthralling journey of self-discovery and finding a place you are happy to call home.

From the creators of Ice Age and Rio, the 107 minute movie is undoubtedly an eye-opener, defying norms and myths about bulls and bullfighting in Spain. The story roams around the main character of Ferdinand, who ends up choosing and writing his own destiny and fate from the scenes of Casa del Toro, a bull harboring ranch, to finding his home at a farm, with a little girl named Nina.

The animation beautifully creates an eye-capturing distinction of opposite atmospheres in the story: one outlays Ferdinand’s life at the grimy lifeless ranch, where the other is an ideal view of serenity, in a farm full of flowers. Ferdinand is not only accepted against all odds by Nina but also realizes that he followed his dream of being a unique bull that doesn’t fight or kill for glory in the ring, and is in fact, a flower-loving, friendly bull.

The director has really outdone himself on this animation, with the perfect cast of Ferdinand that really adds life to the characters. The voice, dialogues, and soundtrack are unconditionally outstanding.

Ferdinand is definitely a movie worth watching and learning from. The soundtrack, with ‘Home’ by Nick Jonas, says it all about the movie, in its exceptionally brilliant lyrics.

Without a doubt, Ferdinand is a heart winning, animated story based on its depiction of morals, enchanting everyone about family, home, and all that you want to be. I hope you all enjoy the movie just as much as I did.

Published in Daily Times, May 24^th 2018.