Don't expect a cheerful or light-hearted time from this animated feature. It's a good but gloomy story with a real tear-jerker ending (changed from the one in Richard Adams' book) that will leave you needing a bucket to cry in. The central characters are two dogs who, neither of them fully fit in mind and body, escape from a horrendous experimental station in England's Lake District. But the film is entirely stolen, probably at the intention of the film-makers, by The Tod, the fell-wise fox they meet out on the moors. The dogs have scant regard for the self-serving fox, yet he twice saves their hides and finally... but that would be telling. Suffice to say that, in a world where (in contrast to Disney) total realism is demanded of the animations, The Tod survives such a personality draining approach to become a definitive character in his own right. Like the film, which is a little slow and could benefit from trimming, he worms his way into your affections. Not suitable for younger children.

©ipc tx. Film content from TVTimes