Zoo

With two young children we are always on the look out for a film to watch as a family. Zoo was the perfect choice. It is easy for young children to relate and connect to the central characters in this movie. It also gives children today an insight into what life was like for those caught living through WWII. There are some very sad moments but it is also genuinely funny and one of the most uplifting films I've seen in a long time.

It's 1941 Belfast. Tom Hall is excited about the arrival of baby elephant Buster to the zoo. His father is its veterinarian and is sent off to war. After a night of bombing, officials order the killing of the zoo's predators fearing an escape of the dangerous animals. Tom is horrified and he learns that Buster could be next if the bombings continue. Tom decides to liberate Buster with the help of troubled classmate Jane Berry. They recruit big kid Pete. On the night of the rescue, Pete brings along his dwarf brother Mickey. The group is discovered by Security Guard Charlie (Toby Jones) but he allows them to escape. They are forced to hide Buster in the backyard of reclusive animal lady Denise Austin.

This is a sweet story for kids and for kids at heart. This is one for the animal lovers. If it's missing anything, it's missing a more threatening villain. The bully kid could have more time on screen. He could have intensified the tension. As it stands, the tension isn't that high. The kids are sweet. The relationship is heart-breaking. At least, that's a fictionalization of the true story.

Poignant drama as a group of youths aided by an animal loving neighbor, are willing to go to any lengths to save a baby elephant during the Belfast Blitz , in 1941.

However, the film is not all touchy-feely , as there are some sad and tense scenes as well.The characters are certainly believable, and it's all tied together and presented well by the writer and director Colin McIvor.

All in all, I found this movie to be an engaging and uplifting tale.

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.

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