Things aren’t looking good for the rabbits of Watership Down – some of their does have been kidnapped by the vicious General Woundwort, and their leader Hazel is missing, presumed dead.

Something struck me when watching the final two instalments of this new animated version of Richard Adams’ Watership Down – it’s like The Walking Dead! Bear with me. And yes, of course I realise that Adams’ novel has been round a lot longer than the zombie comics and spin-off TV show, but it just goes to show how the trope of post-apocalyptic world and the rise of tyrants is evergreen. Woundwort (an evil Ben Kingsley) is their Negan, holding a harem of females in the darkness, while Hazel is their Rick, trying to establish a new world, independent and fair.

By part three the animation is less of an issue – I guess we’ve got used to it by now – but it’s still frustrating that the well-observed hopping of the bunnies is let down by rendering that feels two steps away from where it should be in 2018. However you feel about this year’s Peter Rabbit, the rabbits were beautifully created and set a new benchmark in this area.

The pace also picks up well in these two instalments as John Boyega’s Bigwig disguises himself and infiltrates the Empire… I mean Owsla. There’s a tense escape from the enemy stronghold Efrafa and then a siege at Watership Down when all looks lost until help comes from the skies.

Verdict: A more satisfactory conclusion than the opening episodes promised, the voice cast is to die for, but the clumsy and unengaging animation prevent this from becoming a classic or the definitive version – 1978’s still easily holding the crown. 7/10

Nick Joy