Ferdinand

Ferdinand

Megan Geller, Editor in Chief

Ferdinand the Bull is a fun-filled family classic for children of absolutely all ages. Watching this movie, I felt absorbed into the energy and action of this movie, based on the 1936 classic novel, The Story of Ferdinand, by American author Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. Produced by Blue Sky Studio and 20th Century Fox Animation, the movie features the voices of John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Anthony Anderson, Bobby Cannavale, Peyton Manning, Gina Rodriguez, Miguel Angel Silvestre and David Tennant.

 

The movie opens in Spain. Ferdinand is seen in a bullfight training area that is named Casa del Toros (translated to House of Bulls).

 

Ferdinand the Bull is a fun-filled family classic for children of absolutely all ages. Watching this movie, I felt absorbed into the energy and action of this movie, based on the 1936 classic novel, The Story of Ferdinand, by American author Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. Produced by Blue Sky Studio and 20th Century Fox Animation, the movie features the voices of John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Anthony Anderson, Bobby Cannavale, Peyton Manning, Gina Rodriguez, Miguel Angel Silvestre and David Tennant.

 

The movie opens in Spain. Ferdinand is seen in a bullfight training area that is named Casa del Toros (translated to House of Bulls). Ferdinand is humiliated by the other bulls in the training ground, due to his peaceful and his tendency not to fight and confront the other bulls. In addition, he partook in his favorite activity of sitting and smelling flowers. Quickly into the movie, Ferdinand lost his father, seeing as is father was picked for a bullfight and never returned. Thus, Ferdinand ran away to a florist’s farm and was adopted by the owner, Juan, his daughter, Nina, and his dog, Paco.

 

Ferdinand grows up, still non-confrontational, but much larger, of course. Due to his size, he becomes accident-prone, especially after being stung by a bee. After wrecking the town, he is taken back to Casa del Toros, where he reunites with fellow bulls that he had known during his youth: Bones, Guapo, and Valiente. A new Scottish bull, Angus, and another intimidating bull, Maquina have joined the group. Still ridiculed by his peers, Ferdinand befriends Lupe, a goat who offers to train him in bullfighting.

 

One day, a legendary bullfighter, El Primero, arrives at Casa de Toros to choose a bull he admires to fight with so he can retire. The bulls do not impress El Primero and Guapo is taken to a slaughterhouse. The bulls eventually realize that fighting it the only way to live. After trying to escape to be trained by Lupe, Ferdinand sees his father’s horns mounted and realizes that the bull that fights will be slain by the matador.

 

As he tries to tell the bulls of this, Valiente does not believe him and fights Ferdinand. Ferdinand beats him and knocks off his right horn. After seeing this feat, El Primero picks Ferdinand. Valiente is taken to the slaughterhouse, and Ferdinand and his friends try to rally to break out Valiente. After discovering Guapo is still alive, Ferdinand tries to save him, but activates death traps, but escapes with the help of a now friendlier Valiente. The bulls, Lupe and befriended hedgehogs try to steal the training area truck to escape. The heads of the training area chase them after El Primero threatens them.

 

At a train station, Ferdinand sacrifices himself so the others can escape and is captured. He will now be forced to fight El Primero, but Nina finds out and travels with Juan to retrieve Ferdinand.

 

At the arena, Ferdinand is unsure when Lupe convinces him that he must fight to survive. Due to his pacifist nature, Ferdinand’s performance is feeble, yet he sends El Primero into the bull pen. After being struck on the shoulder, Ferdinand wants to fight back, but sees a rose under his hoof and lets El Primero live. El Primero wants to finish off Ferdinand, but sees Ferdinand resign and refuses to kill him off.

 

Ferdinand reunites with Juan, Nina, and Paco. The fellow bulls, hedgehogs, and Lupe move onto the farm with them. The movie ends with the animals watching the sunset over a field of flowers.

 

There are many more details to this movie, but one must see it to actually believe it. The movie actually opened in box offices at $13.3 million and CinemaScore graded the movie at an “A.” Over this holiday, grab some friends and family for a trip to the movies to watch a heart-warming tale that all will enjoy.

 

Ferdinand is humiliated by the other bulls, due to his peaceful and his tendency not to fight and confront the other bulls. In addition, he partook in his favorite activity of sitting and smelling flowers. Quickly into the movie, Ferdinand lost his father, seeing as is father was picked for a bullfight and never returned. Thus, Ferdinand ran away to a florist’s farm and was adopted by the owner, Juan, his daughter, Nina, and his dog, Paco.

 

Ferdinand grows up, still non-confrontational, but much larger, of course. Due to his size, he becomes accident-prone, especially after being stung by a bee. After wrecking the town, he is taken back to Casa del Toros, where he reunites with fellow bulls that he had known during his youth: Bones, Guapo, and Valiente. A new Scottish bull, Angus, and another intimidating bull, Maquina have joined the group. Still ridiculed by his peers, Ferdinand befriends Lupe, a goat who offers to train him in bullfighting.

 

One day, a legendary bullfighter, El Primero, arrives at Casa de Toros to choose a bull he admires to fight with so he can retire. The bulls do not impress El Primero and Guapo is taken to a slaughterhouse. The bulls eventually realize that fighting it the only way to live. After trying to escape to be trained by Lupe, Ferdinand sees his father’s horns mounted and realizes that the bull that fights will be slain by the matador.

 

As he tries to tell the bulls of this, Valiente does not believe him and fights Ferdinand. Ferdinand beats him and knocks off his right horn. After seeing this feat, El Primero picks Ferdinand. Valiente is taken to the slaughterhouse, and Ferdinand and his friends try to rally to break out Valiente. After discovering Guapo is still alive, Ferdinand tries to save him, but activates death traps, but escapes with the help of a now friendlier Valiente. The bulls, Lupe and befriended hedgehogs try to steal the training area truck to escape. The heads of the training area chase them after El Primero threatens them.

 

At a train station, Ferdinand sacrifices himself so the others can escape and is captured. He will now be forced to fight El Primero, but Nina finds out and travels with Juan to retrieve Ferdinand.

 

At the arena, Ferdinand is unsure when Lupe convinces him that he must fight to survive. Due to his pacifist nature, Ferdinand’s performance is feeble, yet he sends El Primero into the bull pen. After being struck on the shoulder, Ferdinand wants to fight back, but sees a rose under his hoof and lets El Primero live. El Primero wants to finish off Ferdinand, but sees Ferdinand resign and refuses to kill him off.

 

Ferdinand reunites with Juan, Nina, and Paco. The fellow bulls, hedgehogs, and Lupe move onto the farm with them. The movie ends with the animals watching the sunset over a field of flowers.

 

There are many more details to this movie, but one must see it to actually believe it. The movie actually opened in box offices at $13.3 million and CinemaScore graded the movie at an “A.” Over this holiday, grab some friends and family for a trip to the movies to watch a heart-warming tale that all will enjoy.