Horst_In_Translation Review of We're Going on a Bear Hunt

We're Going on a Bear Hunt (2016 TV Movie)

The tradition continues in style

[6/10 · 20 February 2017]

"We're Going on a Bear Hunt" is a 24-minute animated short film from Great Britain and this one came out for the 2016 holidays, so it is still relatively fresh. It is a bit of a tradition that there is at least one new animated short film from the UK each year that runs for half an hour and is released during the days of Christmas and here we have the most recent installment to that tradition. The director and one of the writers is Joanna Harrison, a longtime animator who has worked on several well-received animated film since the 1970s and was also the person mostly in charge of the recent "The Snowman and the Snowdog". Looking at the subject of bears, it is a bit of a return to the roots for her. You will find the details if you take a look at her body of work. Anyway, the perfect adjective to not describe this film here is "spectacular". The animation is easy to identify with the character design and landscapes looking very similar to the Snowman short films and this is Harrison's approach to her genre. I like it. It very subtle and chilly and takes tension out of dramatic moments (like the bear running wildly after the humans), which makes it a very acceptable watch for kids also. Yes in terms of the story, it is true that nothing happens almost, but it does not take away from the film's appeal. The comedy is delivered through the heart and cuteness and I like this approach as well. All in all, a fairly decent watch for people from all age groups I believe. This could also have been named "The Bear Hug".