Spirit of the Forest (2008) User Reviews

Don't be lured in by a high IMDb rating, like we were

[stacyp_1212 · 1/10 · 21 September 2010]

I think anyone who rated this above about a 2 must have seen the cast, rented it for their kids and left the room.

My family spent the first ten minutes watching the movie trying to figure out what the blue critter was. No ears, a stubby tail, giant cheeks, and blue. Is it a graphic representation of the "spirit of the forest?" Then how come it's so clumsy and incompetent? Finally one of the characters referenced it by name, oh, it's a gopher. Nope, probably never would have figured that out.

The animation is awful, it looks like the outtakes from another movie, before the final animation layer was applied.

The dialog, or translation of it from the original language, is trite and distractingly odd. I could forgive the occasional weird comment, but the whole movie is a series of weird comments. Several scenes were nearly disgusting or curiously inappropriate, I kept thinking I was going to have to cover my kid's eyes, but then at the last minute it turned and just skirted the edge.

The characters aren't anyone I'd care about, when the two flies were swallowed by a cat, and I was so happy! I wouldn't have to endure them anymore! Unfortunately their adventures continued.

About 45 minutes into the movie my husband and I were finding it so unbearable we paused it to ask the kids if they still wanted to watch. Our 9 year old agreed she didn't like the movie but the 7 year old wanted to see what happened, for about ten more minutes, then she confessed she didn't care either. We watched to the end on x4 speed, which is how I'd recommend watching this movie.

Yes, in the English version the voices are done by a wonderful cast. But that doesn't make up for everything else this movie falls short in.

A delightful family adventure to watch again and again!

[sakketpico · 1/10 · 3 September 2011]

Instead of writing a detailed review, I'm going to just describe the climactic battle and you can decide if you want your kids watching this. Note that the only reason this isn't entirely nightmare fuel is because the animation isn't good enough.

The blue gopher creatures decide that they are going to not leave the forest but instead "stand up to the man" (all quotes are actual quotes) so when the generic evil-lady shows up in a skintight black leather outfit wielding a chainsaw, the entire cast of forest creatures literally stands in front of her. She retaliates by attempting to slice the weakest looking gopher in half. (she misses, obviously) the second part of the climax involves all the cats jumping on the woman and biting and clawing her. The leader cat (who happens to have the most deformed looking face) Stabs his claws into her back (a loud 'thunk' is heard), but the result of this is only a scream and no apparent wounds. She grabs the leader cat and there is about half a minute of her slowly moving the chainsaw up to his neck. (the chainsaw actually does go into his neck, but that was an animation error I guess because something distracts her in the 'nick of time') The next notable scene involves two rats running up the woman's body and forcibly holding her mouth open AS THOUSANDS OF FLIES RUSH DOWN HER THROAT AND BEGIN WREAKING HAVOC ON HER INSIDES. Previously, the movie went through great lengths to illustrate exactly what hole leads to the intestines, and this is exactly where the vast majority of the flies go (never to be seen again). The remaining ones are shown slamming against the walls of the woman's stomach with enough force to cause her to violently writhe in pain.

As she spits out a few flies, the gophers launch a satchel at her. It is unclear why two main gophers had to be riding the satchel, but they did. They jumped off just in time for the woman to slice it in half with her chainsaw, thereby dumping it's contents all over her. The satchel was full of poop. The rat laughs and says something about it but the only comprehensible word in this line is "poop" The woman throws her still-running chainsaw into the air for no definite reason. it drops directly on her and the forest animals cringe. the next shot is of the chainsaw stuck in the ground and strange red stuff falling from where the woman's head should be (her neck is above the frame. It turns out this was only her hair and she is now exhausted, bald, and covered in animal feces. The two flies that are characters fly out of her mouth (alone. the 900 other flies never escape her bowels) and say in unison "leave the forest alone!" This is a movie that's more fun to describe than actually watch. What really kills this film for me is the music. It is so badly scored it makes almost every scene more uncomfortable than it has any right to be. I would probably force my friends to watch this if I could somehow get rid of the music.

Not worth the $1 I spent to rent it.

[scfarley · 1/10 · 28 November 2010]

This is the first time I've been compelled to review a movie online at all. I just had to so that no one else wasted money on this movie (The company that made it wasted enough for all of us). I only endured this movie because my son said he wanted to finish it to see what happened. Endure is really a tame word. Every 25 seconds or so one of the characters was taking part in a violent act or talking about something violent or murderous. This was interspersed with off-color jokes (none of them remotely funny) and a script that couldn't be written that badly on purpose. The music was sub-par and sappy. The animation was just so-so. On and on.

I like slapstick comedy, creepy violence and off-color humor but this was even unbearable as just me, not the parent me.

The message was really trying to be positive: The residents of the forest band together to try and save it from a money-grubbing human with plans to level the forest and pave a road right through it; but it just failed completely as a whole.

Sorry Ms. Houston, Mr. Astin, Mr. Ribisi and Mr. Perlman this is the worst movie I have ever seen. Also, it is definitely not for children.

Not bad as other reviews

[Madukp · 12 September 2011]

First i would admit it's not the best cg movie that i have seen. second i have to say it is not bad as the critics here. Story is simple. just some animals trying to save their forest. by saying that, i need to say that we need to put away our common sense if we really going to watch these type of movies. you can either enjoy your knowledge or enjoy the film.

I too feel lack of something.... It was unable to keep attracting audience may be? Theme is OK. graphics good. use of CG is good. I watch the English version of the movie,but i think they did really well in that when it comes to translated to English.I saw a gap in narration. The film is not much enthusiastic. Well use of these characters, would have been ended with a better job as "IceAge", but they really missed it....

Not agree for the argument "not for kids". Now a days kids know more than we do. Anyway, nothing bad actually i saw in this film comparing to many "kids" movies i used to watch past few years.

In a brief. it's not a best and not the bad as well.

Entertaining film revolving around a magical forest in which mean people want to cut down millenary trees

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 4 November 2021]

This sympathetic family adventure shows the exploits of various animals confronting an evil , ambitious woman and how their paths cross over under the shelter of a lively forest . There animals , trees and plants form a harmonious system . The mysterious woods resound with the conversation of the several animals and even the oaks , chestnuts, birches and willows . Then a powerful businessman wants to build a highway through the woods . One of the villlage's most nasty character , Mrs D'Abondo : Angelica Huston's voice , loves the idea and orders her hubby to cut down the trees . Everyone must flee . But Furi and the mouse Piorno and the fearful mole Cebolo don't intend to give up so easily. They'll have the help of the Clan of the Free Cats , spearheaded by the brave Tiger , and the flies , Huhu and Hoho . When they find out what Mrs D'Abondo is afraid of , Furi carries out a scheme to bring to life the Spirit of the forest with likeable trees helping them .

Nice and amusing animated movie with ecological message , dealing with a group of forest animals band together to stop a villainous woman and the exterminators from making a highway through their forest. A fun and entertaining 3D computer generator movie , though with no perfect animation , appearing a lot of incidents , as the two flies were swallowed by a cat , the spectacular final fight between Mrs D'Abondo and the rebel animals in which the villainous woman is covered in animal feces and several others . This delightful flick contains adequate voices and dubbing are provided by an international cast as Sean Astin , Ron Perlman , Anjelica Huston, Giovanni Ribisi , as well as Spanish actors as Maria Adanez , Luis Merlo . The motion picture financed by Production Companies , Dygra Films S. L. Fantastic Films International was professionally directed by David Rubin who previously wrote another animation movie : Holy Night ! . This ¨Espiritu del bosque¨(2008) had various awards and nominations , such as : Chicago International Children's Film Festival 2008 Nominee Children's Jury Award Animated Feature Film or Video David Rubin and Goya Awards 2009 Nominee Goya Best Animation Film .