Story
This live-action feature tells a moving tale of two elephant brothers in search of their mother, and the creatures they encounter along the way.
When poachers kill their family, Zef and his younger brother Tutu must find their own way in life. Zef tries to protect Tutu by telling him that their mother was taken up in a rainbow and Tutu is determined to find her. Zef finds it increasingly more difficult to tell Tutu the truth but along the way they meet other orphaned animals: Chump the Chimp, Stretch the Giraffe and Cub the lion cub who all join them in their search.
They encounter many dangers along the way such as bad storms, scary creatures and even scarier men whom they call ‘the badness’. In one scene, Tutu gets lost and Zef gets caught in an animal trap. Chump, however, is very resourceful and manages to free Zef, along with many other trapped animals. Unfortunately, during the rescue, Chump knocks over some petrol cans which set fire to the men’s camp but the animals all manage to escape unhurt.
Eventually Zef, Tutu and their friends all reach an animal sanctuary where they are welcomed and well looked after.
Themes
Animal distress; hunting
Violence
There is some violence in this movie including:
- Poachers shoot at the elephant herd but all that is shown is gunfire in the night sky.
- Zef is caught in an animal trap
- The animals all chase the men who appear scared of them, but they manage to fight back and lasso Zef. They then capture all the animals and tie them up.
Sexual references
None
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
None
Nudity and sexual activity
None
Product placement
None
Coarse language
None
Ideas to discuss with your children
Elephant Tales is a delightful movie with appeal to people of all ages. The scenery and photography are beautiful and the animals are wonderful. One of the main themes is commercial animal hunting and killing. The exploration of this issue might be distressing for young children.
You might like to discuss with your child the values in this movie such as:
- care and appreciation of the environment
- conservation and protection of wildlife
- courage and bravery
- loyalty.
You could also discuss:
- what could happen if people continue to hunt and kill wild animals
- the fact that not all people are bad and that only some people are cruel to animals.