I don't remember how young I was when I saw this movie, but I remember being horrified. I was a sophisticated but sensitive kid, so I saw this too young, however old I was.

This is, obviously, not recommended for kids, or even pre-teens. Animated, fantastical, yes, child-friendly, no. It's based on a middle-school novel by British novelist Richard Adams about a warren of rabbits who have to fight for survival. They're humanized rabbits, though, with cultures, loyalties, family ties, and voices. It's like watching a modern war movie and the beauty of the story is that its themes are universal.

I first saw this movie at school, when I was in the 6th grade. I couldn't believe the carnage! I had always thought of rabbits as cute and cuddly, hopping about, far from being malicious.

However, this film adaptation of the novel "Watership Down", pulls no punches whatsoever. The characters are meant to be societal metaphors, but are so well-developed that it's hard not to get involved with or to even despise them. There are larger faceless characters at work here, too. The destructive faces of Man and Progress. The environmental messages are unavoidable and stunning.

The animation in the film is masterful and atmospheric. Especially considering that it was made over 25 years ago. Aside from the music that accompanies it, this movie is far from dated. I suggest that anyone interested in viewing this flick, try and get a copy of the book first. They are quite a compatible pairing. They do not mirror one another, but complement.

All I remember from seeing this for the very first time, was trying to hide my tears from my classmates. Luckily, the room was dark.