Parents' Guide to

Sheep & Wolves

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Occasionally amusing animal adventure has mixed messages.

Movie PG 2018 85 minutes
Sheep & Wolves Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Sheep & Wolves Movie: Scene #1
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  • Sheep & Wolves Movie: Scene #3
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Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Rarityfan
Rarityfan Adult
October 1, 2018
age 7+

Sheepish grin

I browsed through some Russian cartoon channels on Youtube as I found this. It is a Russian cartoon but not too foreign for the family, and it's like Starfox in Europe. A big bunch of action, as the romance could get too high for some . If your teens like more foreign live action comedies let them watch Emir Kusturica's comedies.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Sara.P
Sara.P Adult
July 31, 2018
age 8+

Very good and cute!

We loved it, as did the rest of the audience. I haven't seen this movie advertised that heavily, it could have been a hit. It's a great film for both parents and kids. From a storyline standpoint - it's helpful to explain the story a little bit to kids under 10 for them to be able to follow it. The main characters are very well developed and endearing. Loved the characters of Grey and Bianca too. The story moves along at a good pace and is engaging the whole way - funny but also touching. From a design/artistic standpoint - it's amazing!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SHEEP & WOLVES, a pack led by wise old alpha wolf Magra (voiced by Jim Cummings) sets up their new home in a ravine across a meadow from the minimally guarded village of a peaceful flock of sheep. Magra refuses to let his wolves hunt their new neighbors for sport, claiming they only hunt when necessary, "because every life is sacred." When Magra announces his retirement, he calls for the younger wolves to challenge each other to lead the pack. The two contenders are bloodthirsty Ragear (Rich Orlow), who's vicious and would like to do away with the pack's ancestral laws, and Grey (Tom Felton), who's caring, fun-loving, and charismatic -- but also immature. Grey's love interest, Bianca (Ruby Rose), breaks up with him for being too childish, sending him sulking into a nearby animal carnival. There, a rabbit fortune-teller offers Grey a "transmutation potion" that, instead of changing Grey into a more mature, marriageable wolf, transforms him into a ram. Grey-as-a-ram is welcomed into the flock, where he must figure out how to turn back into a wolf. But in the meantime, he enjoys getting to know the prey animals on their own terms. When news travels that Ragear is on the brink of ruling the wolf pack, Grey must decide where his loyalties lie -- and how to help both his old and new communities.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7):
Kids say (1):

This twist on the "wolf in sheep's clothing" saying is sure to amuse younger kids with its fish-out-of-water setup, but it's ultimately an uneven, scattered take on a predictable formula. There's nothing remotely original about a story focused on an immature young man who recognizes the need to grow up out of love for the right young woman and the need to defend his people/community. Felton's voice acting is slightly too posh-sounding to match Grey's devil-may-care attitude, but he does get the emotional cues right as Grey goes through the spectrum of feelings in his new body. Renowned voice actor Orlow's Ragear can sound every bit the bloodthirsty villain he is, and Rose is well cast as the patient, confident Bianca, who's waiting for Grey to step up and be the alpha male she knows he can be.

Sheep & Wolves relies on some very Lion King-like themes, but they don't add up to anything particularly memorable here. Grey, after all, does more to teach the sheep than the sheep seem to teach him (until the very end). He helps Moz (Peter Linz) express his true feelings to Lyra (China Anne McClain); mentors Lyra's little brother, Shaya (Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld); and even calls out the flock leader for his superstitious beliefs (in a particularly cruel way, but it does wake the flock up to their shortcomings). Kids will laugh (although sensitive ones will also be understandably frightened of Ragear's viciousness), and this movie is still better than several of the Alpha & Omega sequels, but don't expect your next family favorite in this "can't we all be friends" adventure.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the popularity of talking-animal movies. How does Sheep & Wolves compare to some of your favorites?

  • Does the movie rely on clichés and stereotypes for jokes? Why is that an issue? Is the portrayal of the female wolves accurate? Appropriate?

  • What do you think Grey's story is trying to teach viewers about empathy and friendship? Even though it's unlikely to happen in the wild, what can humans learn from the story?

  • Who are the role models in the movie? What character strengths do they display?

Movie Details

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