UP TO SCRATCH

SPOILERS DOWN THE PATH; THE DISCUSSION BELOW WILL NOT BE COMPREHENSIVE WITHOUT IT.

TREAD CAREFULLY. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

Blue Sky Studios' 2017 animation venture is about a bull who loves peace and hates fights. Theme line is divided between the continents of love, as represented by Nina's (Lily Day) farm and hate, as represented by the fighting bulls breeding ground Casa del Toro.

Ferdinand (John Cena), after losing his father in a battle arena, decides to evade said place during when he eventually bumps into Nina. He gets a loving home and owner; life is perfect and happy! But sooner or later, our protagonist has to face the ultimate force of antagonism. He's certainly safe in this little farm, but what's waiting for him outside of it? Disaster of course! Following a flower festival mishap, Ferdinand is brought right back to the same place he once escaped! How he finds friends in his former enemies and leave this hell once and for all forms the crux.

Ferdinand is a tough film to get through, mainly because of its weak content, predictable storyline and dialogues. The climactic battle is interesting but between that and the picture's beginning, hardly anything happens! Understandably, this is one of those animated movies that depends on pop songs and silly antics rather than the weight of its script. Ferdinand juggling plates and performing CPR on a presumed dead rabbit are hilarious, but even if you dig deeper than that using his horns, you are not going to find any strong emotional struggle other than plain surface level depictions.

The designers were focused on crafting the best looking bull they ever could... and they certainly succeeded in it! Ferdinand is a brilliant black, ginormous handsome bull! Although nothing about most of the other animals stands out, the blue porcupines and red bunny appear vibrant in their respective colors.

"Where do you think the word bully came from? Certainly not from chickens!"