Common Sense Media Review
By Danny Brogan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animated adaptation shows it's never too late to change.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Highway Rat
What's the Story?
THE HIGHWAY RAT (voiced by David Tennant) spends his life stealing food from the other animals he encounters. But then a duck (Nina Sosanya) decides to teach him a lesson. Can the rat learn the error of his ways?
Is It Any Good?
Another adaptation from the Julia Donaldson stable of preschool books, this cartoon adventure fails to capture the magic of the likes of The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale. The animation looks great and once again the appeal of Donaldson's stories pulls in an array of voice talent including Tennant, Rob Brydon, and Tom Hollander. But whereas Donaldson's other tales captured the imagination with clever plot twists, here the rat's predictable journey to redemption is pedestrian and lacks any cutting edge, much like the rat's pointy sword.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what lessons were learned in The Highway Rat. How did the rat change throughout the story? What caused this change?
Have you read or seen any other Julia Donaldson stories? If so, how did this compare?
Talk about movies that are based on books. What are some of your favorites?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : April 12, 2018
- Cast : David Tennant , Rob Brydon , Frances de la Tour
- Director : Jeroen Jaspaert
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Magic Light Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Run time : 25 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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