A heartbreaking tale about love, loss, and life’s changes
Get your handkerchiefs at the ready. The Velveteen Rabbit is another family movie that may well make you cry. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch it, of course, but the film does raise the question: Why are kids’ films always so heartbreaking? Add this one to Bambi, Ring of Bright Water, and E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial to your list of films that could potentially traumatize your children!
Based on the classic children’s book by Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit tells the story of a boy named William who is given a stuffed bunny for Christmas. The boy, who is feeling sad after moving to a new home and saying goodbye to his old school friends, is given a reason to smile when his parents gift him this velveteen toy.
He feels less lonely when playing with the rabbit and together, the two of them have wild adventures, from digging through tunnels in search of lost treasure to swinging over rivers while being pursued by an imagined wolf. But as William learns time and again in this film, all good things have to come to an end. We aren’t going to reveal too much of the movie’s plotting here but expect a few heart-wrenching scenes to unfold before the film’s reasonably upbeat resolution.
Like the book, the film plays with themes related to loss, change, and loneliness; three things that many of us had to deal with when growing up. William is faced with these aspects of life as the story of The Velveteen Rabbit progresses but he isn’t the only one. When his toy miraculously comes to life, the stitched-together rabbit also has to deal with these facets of life’s journey.
Does the rabbit really come to life? Well, it’s hard to say for sure. While it’s a concept we have become used to after watching such films as Toy Story, The Indian In The Cupboard, and Pinocchio, it’s likely that his adventures are imagined by William and were dreamt up by the original book’s author to teach children some valuable life lessons. Or maybe we are being cynical and resistant to the power of magic! But whatever the case might be, the story of William and his rabbit is one that will captivate the imaginations of children and the young at heart, even if it is more than a little fanciful.
But as we alluded to at the start of this review, this is also a film with the power to break hearts. There are moments towards the end of the story when the boy and the rabbit are faced with a potential separation. There’s also a moment of real peril for the rabbit that could prove traumatic for the younger children in your family.
These downbeat aspects mean the film isn’t quite as magical as it could have been, although this accusation could also be pointed at the source material. As I haven’t read the book, I can’t compare the two.
This isn’t to say the film is permanently maudlin as there are a few moments of levity – the scenes of William and the rabbit playing together are joyful – but too often, the happy moments are pushed aside for scenes that get the tears flowing.
But while the journey towards the story’s conclusion is sometimes harrowing, it does end with a message that offers hope to the viewer. So, while the film does shine a spotlight on life’s traumas, it also reminds us that happiness is often around the corner, even though we might struggle to see that when dealing with our pain.
The film’s director, Tim Bidwell, previously wrote the 2018 television adaptation of Watership Down so he’s well-versed in sad stories about bunnies. He cleverly uses a mix-up of live-action and animation in this film, with the latter being used for the imagined adventures between William and his rabbit. In his framing of the film, he manages to draw us in to both the real and fantastical elements of the story, aided by the performances of talented young actor Phoenix Laroche (William) and Alex Lawther (the voice of the rabbit).
At a kid-friendly 45 minutes, this is fairly easy to sit through, despite its difficult themes. We don’t think it will ever be considered a timeless classic, unlike the book that came before it, but it’s still worth a watch, if only so you can teach your kids that life does get better if they’re going through a troubling time of their own.
Read More: The Velveteen Rabbit Ending Explained
Feel free to check out more of our movie reviews here!
-
Verdict - 7/10
7/10