Parents' Guide to

Once Upon a Forest

By Joly Herman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Sweet critter adventure, but some dark themes as well.

Movie G 1993 71 minutes
Once Upon a Forest Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 6+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Dre211
Dre211 Adult
April 29, 2021
age 2+

This is a five star movie

For one grew up on this movie. I used to watch this with my grandmother and now I watch it with my kids and they love the movie as will .
MumbleFan123
MumbleFan123 Adult
August 14, 2020
age 10+

Mediocre Animation + Sad & Violent Story

I watched this movie with my 7 year old Daughter and she started crying and i put on something else. Later I watched the movie myself, and I was expecting a darker version of An American Tail and I was shocked this movie was made for kids! Many Animals died and the Animation was cheesy in some scenes. I'd expect more from Hanna-Barbera. This movie has been Banned from our House...

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Life in Dapplewood forest is full of adventure for the friendly critters who live there. Abigail (voiced by Ellen Blain) is a young rat who climbs branches and sneaks up on her father before going to school. Her friends Russell the hedgehog (Paige Gosney) and Edgar the mole (Ben Gregory) all meet her at school one morning for a fun outing that their teacher, Cornelius (voiced by Michael Crawford) has prepared for them. While they are enjoying their daily "ramble," an accident occurs on the nearby highway where a big rig loses its grip on the road, spilling a poison gas that devastates the entire meadow. The friends return home to find that their families are gone and that their classmate, Michelle (Elizabeth Moss) is suffering from poisoning. Cornelius instructs the friends to find specific herbs to heal Michelle, and the three pals go forth across hill and dale to save their friend.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (4):

Based on a Welsh story by Rae Lambert, this mostly pleasant animated feature starts out as an idyllic depiction of forest life. The animal creatures go to school and learn fantastic things like building flying machines. But when human activity mars their environment, the story gets a little big for its britches. The subject of loss is largely glossed over -- and even though the classmates ask about their families, their curiosity is not pressing. Instead, they are instructed by their teacher to find the herbs necessary to save their friend.

The youngest viewers might be frightened by the devastation of the forest and the theme of mass destruction, though the adventure within the tragedy can be enjoyable and lighthearted. Considering the fact that the entire meadow was poisoned, a happy ending is in order. And in this regard, the movie delivers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's environmental message. How do humans affect the homes of creatures like rats, badgers, moles, and gophers?

  • How can we coexist with the creatures that live in our midst?

  • What forest animals have you seen? Take a nature walk and observe the different creatures you see.

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate