Overview
A group of rabbits embarks on a perilous journey to find a safe haven, confronting the harsh realities of their world along the way.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- foreboding
- mythic
- poignant
- classic animation night
- literary adaptation viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful and visually accomplished literary animation whose emotional force is heightened by its unusually graphic violence.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The rabbit colony faces traps, predators, bloodshed, and violent social conflict despite the family-oriented animation format.
Hazel and the other rabbits seek a new colony free from the warren's tyranny and human intervention.
Rabbits form distinct communities, exercise leadership, preserve legends, and struggle against predators and human encroachment.
River crossings, traps, open countryside, and predator encounters make the rural landscape beautiful but persistently threatening.
Films like Watership Down, and why
The Secret of NIMH
Shares anthropomorphic animal characters, perilous wilderness adventure, dramatic stakes, and a darker-than-expected tone.
The Plague Dogs
Combines hand-drawn animation, animal protagonists, communal survival, and emotionally serious adventure.
The Last Unicorn
Appeals through literary fantasy, animal societies, courageous leadership, and themes of freedom versus oppression.
When the Wind Blows
Shares British literary animation, adult emotional weight, and a visually distinctive journey through hostile environments.
Movie Details
- Director
- Martin Rosen
- Release Date
- 1978-10-14
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (735)
Cast
- John Hurt
- Richard Briers
- Michael Graham Cox
- John Bennett
- Ralph Richardson
- Simon Cadell
- Terence Rigby
- Roy Kinnear
- Richard O'Callaghan
- Denholm Elliott
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion 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 Watership Down about?
- A band of rabbits flees tyranny and human encroachment to build a freer colony in a stark, mythic struggle for survival.
- What is Watership Down like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Watership Down as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Watership Down violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Watership Down as graphic.
- What did critics think of Watership Down?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful and visually accomplished literary animation whose emotional force is heightened by its unusually graphic violence.
- Which films are like Watership Down?
- Films with a similar feel include The Secret of NIMH, The Plague Dogs, The Last Unicorn, and When the Wind Blows.
- How long is Watership Down?
- Watership Down runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Watership Down?
- In United States, Watership Down streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max.
