Who said we need human heroes? These 5 live-action movies with animals for heroes prove otherwise

While we mostly see our animal friends as supporting actors in films, it’s not a stretch to say that these movies always ensure we have a “whale” of a time. And we aren’t talking about animated films, or the ones that have been made with CGI (no Finding Nemo and King Kong), we are talking about the best films where we saw animals in their true form. 

Babe

If you’re looking for that one word to describe this film, it’s wholesome. The movie revolves around the life of Babe, a pig, who gets adopted by the sheepdogs of Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) and becomes a sheep herder himself over time. This charming, witty, and inspiring pig teaches us a host of life lessons over the course of the film, the most important one being that there is no need to live life as per people’s expectations.

Seabiscuit
 

Be it in the movies or in real life, we absolutely love rooting for characters that people have given up on, but have a spark within them. This movie is based on the bestselling book by Laura Hillenbrand that chronicles the real-life career of the horse, Seabiscuit, during the Great Depression. It’s horsepower at its best, as Seabiscuit, a massive underdog, goes on to win prestigious derbies for fun. It’s not just the horse who steals the show, it's incredible performances by Jeff Bridges (the millionaire owner Howard), Chris Cooper (the soft-spoken trainer Tom Smith), the jockey named John "Red" Pollard (Tobey Maguire), and William H. Macy (the track radio announcer) that you will remember as well. Just like the protagonist, the film is an absolute winner that will inspire you to overcome every obstacle in your path and cross the finish line in style. 

Dunston Checks In
 

If you’re a 90s kid, you probably have fond memories of watching this film on the VCR (also called Ek Bandar, Hotel Ke Andar in Hindi). It’s monkey mischief all the way as Dunston breaks free from his handler, a jewel thief, at The Majestic Hotel and ends up befriending a kid, who is the son of the hotel’s owner. What follows is complete pandemonium as the kid does his level best to hide his new friend while its handler looks up every nook and cranny for his prized possession. It’s LOL all the way with this one, right from the first frame to the last. 

101 Dalmatians
 

Move aside Beauty and Beast, Lion King and Aladdin, it’s 101 Dalmatians that has major game. The reason—Glenn Close who effortlessly plays Cruella de Vil, while Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams, who play her henchmen, Jasper and Horace, respectively, have you rolling on the floor. And if that wasn’t enough, watching the farm animals unite to bring Curella to her knees is redemption at its best. 

Eight Below

This is a fascinating tale of how the ones who normally save the lives of others sometimes need to be saved themselves—in this case, Jerry (Paul Walker), a resident guide, and his pack of eight dogs. Based on a true account, it’s the ultimate survival-of-the-fittest story as the dogs face harsh climates and countless dangers on their way home, after Jerry is forced to leave them behind in the wilderness. 

Feature image: Offtopiccinema/Instagram