You may be a little surprised to learn that this is Red Nose Day's official film of 2005 since it's about a zebra who wants to be a racehorse, barnyard animals who help him try to beat the favourite in the Kentucky Open and a fetching girl (Hayden Panettiere) who determines to be his jockey. Not quite, perhaps, what Comic Relief might have had in mind. But at least a comedy in part.
The real-life animals speak to each other but not to the humans on view. They are voiced by such alumni as Dustin Hoffman, Whoopi Goldberg and Snoop Dogg. And I suppose it is praise to say that I didn't recognise any of them. But then I didn't recognise Africa, where most of the location work was done, either.
This, of course, is a children's movie and a pleasant enough one. Total fantasy but enough to make every little girl who sees it pester their parents for a zebra for some time afterwards. I'd prefer the deranged pelican myself. He seems much like a critic faced with a film like this.
Racing Stripes
Cert: U
