Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Hattie I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

tomycs-95862 Long story short: unnecessarily long hunt of an otter with both dog and otter being sacrificed for the hunters humour. The whole story is a big waste of time and the final tension is dragged out pointlessly. 3/10 is generous. Only idiots would think there's some life lesson for kids here.

crumblydonut I love Ustinov's distinctive, literate narration. And the photography is quiet nice. We put the film on for our 3.5 year old who sort of wandered in and out of the room. So for our first viewing, we only saw about 1/3 of the movie and were quite charmed. When we re-watched, sitting down for family time,we were all mortified at the violence and life-threatening situations the poor otter got into. About halfway through the movie, there's a rack of dead, bloody furry animals. Lots of blood, not just a little. Then at the end, there's a wild struggle with a dog, then blood clouds the water. You'd think, given the G rating, that's all you'll see...that they will IMPLY one of the animals died. Nope. They drag the carcass out of the water and show it plainly for several traumatizing seconds. Personally, as an adult I love horror movies and am fine with violent movies ala Scorsese, Cronenberg, Tarantino. Heck, I love the ultra violent Battle Royale. But those aren't kid movies and don't advertise themselves as such. If you are deliberately raising your young ones to see the harsh realities of life for cute animals, then this is the movie for you. If you are like me and my wife though, you might want to spare your child nightmares and avoid this one.

Zoe Kendell-Taylor Many people think that "Tarka the Otter" isn't a suitable film for children because of its content, yet they would allow their children to watch the beauty of Watership Down or Disney films such as Bambi, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, the Jungle Book etc. They all have upsetting things that happen in them, but just because it's a cartoon, therefore less realistic, parents tend to think that it is suitable for children, as they won't get as upset compared to it being filmed as a non cartoon film. I have to disagree with this.Tarka the Otter is a beautiful film and very artistic, and while yes, it is a sad ending, the last words have stuck with me. The scenery shots are also as beautiful as the film and I was so surprised to find that I hated a dog so much, Boatman did very well, I love all animals and it is very hard for animals to make me dislike them.

momonuget I watched this as a 5-6 year old. I also loved "Animals are Beautiful People," "The Glacier Fox," "Three Warriors," "Watership Down," "Black Beauty," and "Hambone and Hillie." I find "Tarka" is similar to the new Meerkat Manor on AP. It is based on real-life behaviors and issues in daily life. Tarka and other movies in my list also dealt with animal cruelty and poaching/ hunting practices. And I agree with the person who mentioned Bambi and the Lion King's graphic content. Sure, it's animated, but I have had to explain "why did such and such happen" when I've watched "nemo" and "the lion king" with my students who knew nothing of animal life. I learned a helluva lot more about animals and respect for life watching Tarka and other wildlife films, including the Wonderful World of Disney doc's the Disney channel used to show late at night, than many adults know now. Sure, it was sad and heart-wrenching in places, but I never needed a course in anger management or counseling. My only questions to my parents were in regards to the humans and why did the people do the things they did.