Overview
A gentle giant's quest for peace leads him to unexpected challenges and friendships.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- warm
- uplifting
- family movie night
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics generally found the colorful adaptation entertaining and emotionally sincere, while noting its predictable, conventional feature-length storytelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ferdinand is bred and trained to fight but consistently chooses gentleness, flowers, and nonviolence instead.
The bull-training academy and matador arena frame bullfighting as institutionalized animal abuse, while Ferdinand resists participation.
The film emphasizes vibrant Spanish landscapes, fragrant farm imagery, and highly expressive anthropomorphic bulls.
Ferdinand’s peaceful nature becomes the basis of his identity and relationships instead of a flaw to overcome.
Films like Ferdinand, and why
The Iron Giant
family-friendly animated adventure centered on a gentle outsider resisting violence and social expectations
The Secret Life of Pets
colorful animal-focused comedy about friendship, courage, and rejecting aggressive stereotypes
Zootopia
uplifting animated underdog story blending comedy, adventure, and a message against conformity
Movie Details
- Director
- Carlos Saldanha
- Release Date
- 2017-12-09
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (3167)
Cast
- John Cena
- Kate McKinnon
- Anthony Anderson
- Bobby Cannavale
- Peyton Manning
- Gina Rodriguez
- Miguel Ángel Silvestre
- David Tennant
- Flula Borg
- Jerrod Carmichael
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Ferdinand about?
- A flower-loving bull challenges a violent tradition by proving that courage can mean refusing to fight.
- What is Ferdinand like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ferdinand as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Ferdinand violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Ferdinand as mild.
- What did critics think of Ferdinand?
- Critics generally found the colorful adaptation entertaining and emotionally sincere, while noting its predictable, conventional feature-length storytelling.
- Which films are like Ferdinand?
- Films with a similar feel include The Iron Giant, The Secret Life of Pets, and Zootopia.
- How long is Ferdinand?
- Ferdinand runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ferdinand?
- In United States, Ferdinand streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
