There’s a long history of wrestlers who have successfully transitioned from the ring to the big screen, and there’s no denying that John Cena is one of the most successful. After cementing his status as one of the WWE’s greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Cena began making his mark on Hollywood in 2006 in The Marine. He has gone on to star in everything from Peacemaker to Blockers, as well as a severely underrated animated movie from 2017 that just dropped on HBO. Max.
That movie is Ferdinand, Carlos Saldanha’s animated comedy starring Cena as the voice of a flower-loving Spanish fighting bull. The movie joined the HBO Max streaming library on February 1st and is worth checking out. Ferdinand centers around the titular character, a big-hearted pacifist bull who refuses to bullfight and finds peace with a little girl on a farm. That all comes crashing down when authorities return him to his former captors and he is forced back to the arena. With the help of a wisecracking goat, three hedgehogs, and a gentle bovine, he must find a way to break free and return to his old ranch.
If you head to Rotten Tomatoes to check out Ferdinand’s overall consensus before deciding whether or not to press play, you may be swayed to pass over Ferdinand in favor of something else. The movie received an initial, somewhat tepid, audience reception of just a mere 53% on the review aggregator site. Although the movie doesn’t quite reach the same critical heights of Pixar films, it’s actually a solid and charming movie that the entire family can enjoy. The film was even a surprise global hit on Netflix during its stint on the platform over the summer.
So, what makes Ferdinand so good and worthy of its 70% critic rating? One of the biggest highlights of the film is Cena himself, the former pro wrestler proving his versatility as an actor and voice artist by taking on a role that is vastly different from the imposing, tough-guy persona he had in WWE. Ferdinand is a gentle giant, and the role required Cena to showcase a softer, more comedic, and emotional side, something he did with ease. Outside of Cena’s standout performance, the movie is a genuinely charming story about staying true to oneself, making it perfect for family movie night. Ferdinand also features high-quality animation that brings the vibrant Spanish setting to life, and the movie keeps the laughs coming through the eccentric group of side characters, memorable scenes like the dance-off, and sight gags.
Ferdinand is far from the only movie freshly streaming on HBO Max this February. The streaming giant has been filling the shelves of its streaming library throughout the month with exciting movies such as the 2011 animated family movie Hop, as well as other additions like Life of Pi, MacGruber, The Notebook, The Shape of Water, and Boys Go to Jupiter.
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