Zoo

I've just watched this beautiful film. Coming from N. Ireland it is just amazing to watch a film which shows the heart and soul of our wee country. The sights and sounds bring home the emotions felt during the second world war. Loads of places we know and love, showing Belfast was used to film this. The story is just beautiful, quite a roller coaster of emotions, well for a Mum of 3 and animal lover. The story captures what it is like to be a child in a world where everything seems unfair. I was fully emersed in the journey and loved every minute of it. I laughed and cried and just fell in love. A must for the family to watch.

Based upon a true story, as you will find come the final sequences, this is a bit short (in terms of its length), but wonderfully entertaining with little or no foul language and a group of kids who take it upon themselves during wartime Belfast to help a Baby elephant at the Zoo. The adults play their parts very well, the kids provide great entertainment, not to mention the animals and of course "Nellie" who plays the part of the Elephant-who is the centre of the piece. Watch this one, really good

Sweet and gentle viewing. Strong cast, even the young actors.

This is an enjoyable family adventure which always seems to have the threat of war in the background. All the leading actors do a good job and even the one bully has a softer side, while the other bully remains just that. We even get to laugh every now and then.

Penelope Wilton makes a remarkable transformation from what seems like an evil witch to a kind and caring person.

Emily Flain is kind but tough as a possible romantic interest who is mainly just a good and helpful friend.

Toby Jones stands out as an obnoxious security guard at the zoo, but even he has a kind side he just won't let show.

James Stockdale is a little person with an attitude, who lets people know he's just has capable as anyone else. His role is ... short, but he makes us notice him.

I don't know why a family film like this would get a TV-14 V-chip rating. I do know some words didn't make it to broadcast TV, but there isn't really anything here to justify such a stern warning. Little kids probably shouldn't see some scenes because this is war, people are frightened, and there is damage. Not everyone survives to the end, but no one is shown dying. People grieve, but life goes on. And of course not all animals survive because certain people are overly cautious with the threat of bombing, but again, you don't see what happens.

In the U. S., we don't have prayer in the public schools but we might have back then. It's not clear whether the kids attend a Catholic school but the teacher does pray. Pauline Hutton, I believe it is, does such a good job in that scene.

There is nice scenery, mainly at the zoo, but we don't really get to see just how beautiful Northern Ireland is. Other scenes show a working class neighborhood which is not really attractive, but that's just how it is.

It's a fine effort.

A beautiful family drama,about a little zoo in a little village just outside belfast,nortern ireland.its an emotional story about an elephant and his human rescuers and friends during the devastating time of 2nd world war blitz-krieg phase.

it is a sweet but also sad story about love,engagement,poverty,life and death,good and evil ,made through a great filmographic,audio/visual production,and a whole lot of great young actors.even though i understand english language pretty well,the irish slang are at time hopeless to understand when spoken with low voice,anyway,the worse the dialect the better.geordie is fein..... the pace are a little slow but it gives time for recollection on wartime for the younger viewers.