Babar: The Movie

Movie review by Tracy Moore, Common Sense Media
Babar: The Movie Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 5+

Animated elephant adventure has some peril.

G 1989 70 minutes
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Parents say

age 13+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 4+

Based on 3 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Stands out for and .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Babar: The Movie is a highly entertaining animated adventure with positive messages and fun musical numbers, but with one major scene of troubling violence and peril up front. An elephant village is raided and torched, with multiple instances of elephant mothers and children forcibly separated and in distress, and some elephant/rhino fighting. That issue aside, the movie is a funny and sweet tale of friendship and adventure suitable for any age.

Community Reviews

bigmoviefan2020
bigmoviefan2020 Adult
November 26, 2020
age 9+

A kids' film has intense peril moments

PG: somme brief intense peril
Shiloh H.
Shiloh H. Adult
April 8, 2020
age 16+

Violent, Gloom and Doom

We chose this movie for our 5- and 3-year olds based on the good reviews. The animation quality is terrible and more of a cheap mid-80s grade than the actual release date. The violence is horrific and introduces such weapons as axes, including both battle- and broad- variations and canons. Village plunder — an entire elephant village is torched and despoiled by thuggish gangs of armor-clad rhinos in a genocidal raid. The prisoners are shackled and enslaved, forced to work for the evil rhino army. The children are left alone to search for their parents. We would not recommend this movie for children or really anyone at all. There are innumerable other fun, educational and age appropiate movies to choose from.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Babar (voiced by Gavin Magrath), the boy elephant king, must save his cousin Celeste's village, Elephantland, from the ruinous designs of Rataxes and his rhino army, who are set on enslaving the elephants and taking over the village. Along the way, Babar meets a talented monkey, Zephir, with a knack for impersonations and subterfuge, and learns a few important lessons about conflict resolution and the laws of the jungle.

Is It Any Good?

Based on the 1931 French children's book series, Babar: The Movie is a spirited continuation of the televised HBO series. It's a surehanded blend of action, musical, and frolic that keeps the pace and doesn't overstay its welcome.

Kids will enjoy the elephants and nonstop action, parents will enjoy the clever resolution, and both parents and kids will find themselves humming to the fun sing-alongs, from the song that manages to make bureaucracy sound catchy, "Send It to Committee for Review" to the funny boast "Monkey Business."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • How did Babar outsmart the rhinos without using violence?

  • What other adventures have you seen set in the jungle? Did the animals play by the same rules that Babar and his friends followed?

  • Learn about how animals get along in the jungle by visiting the library and checking out books about the habitat.

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

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