The Revolt of the Bovine

The Revolt of the Bovine is an odd but enjoyable new animated short film from Scott Kingsnorth which follows a couple of cows as they ponder power and politics. We witness the characters eventually wreaking havoc across the world under the rule of a domineering bull. The story is effectively a satirical retelling of George Orwell’s Animal Farm – in fact, the book is explicitly referenced in the film’s opening moments – but where it greatly differs is in its love of the ridiculous. Through its witty representation of deeper subject-matter, the comedy becomes both accessible and thoughtful.

Aiming to entertain – in part – through the filmmaker’s incredibly British, sardonic sense of humour, the short combines vulgarity with commentary. One could argue that much of the comedy is inspired by a Monty Python-esque sensibility. This can be seen especially in one shot in which a human is squished and killed by an animal, with that classically jarring animation. The picture’s script also reflects a similar comic ambition, with its acidic tone complementing an already absurdist aesthetic. It’s great fun when a film isn’t afraid to do joke after joke; and for a piece of such a short runtime, it wouldn’t make sense for this kind of comedy to go any other route. The director also voices the character of the farmer, who bookends the piece by dryly joking about cows’ intelligence and/or stupidity. This framing device gives you a good sense of the kind of matter-of-fact, emotionless attitude which adds to the specific brand of comedy, and is prevalent throughout the short.

In terms of the film’s animation style, it could very well be described as striking a tone between the minimalist existentialism of Don Hertzfeldt and the handmade vulgarity of South Park; both elements serve as great strengths. The filmmaker understands that they have to play to their limitations – in that it’s a low-budget cartoon made entirely by one individual (an impressive feat in and of itself). Yet it’s through the purposeful ugliness of the character designs, and the simple direction on display, that the work finds its unique and endearing personality. Namely, audiences are bound to find a lot to enjoy about the disturbingly detailed appearance of the animals – the vivid definition of their outlines giving a slightly gross, overly realistic idea of a cow, for instance. It’s just so strange to observe, while also being visually inventive.

The Revolt of the Bovine accomplishes what it sets out to achieve, and the fact that it manages this within its six-minute runtime is a testament to the writing and structure. I’d be interested to know why the filmmaker wished to use their humour and mode of animation to tell this story in particular, for it would certainly feel like a slightly random watch were you to stumble across it. But then again, due to its style and short-form storytelling temperament, this piece is absolutely designed for the internet (not to sound like a backhanded compliment, its internet success just feels inevitable). It’s a thoroughly entertaining movie which showcases some amusing animation.