The Shepherd
By Danny Brogan,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Live-action Disney Christmas short has mild peril.
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The Shepherd
Community Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Atmospheric and compelling short
What's the Story?
THE SHEPHERD tells the story of Flying Officer Freddie Hook (Ben Radcliffe), who is given the chance to fly home for Christmas. When his plane runs into mechanical issues, all seems lost. That is until a mysterious pilot (John Travolta) comes to his aid.
Is It Any Good?
Adapted from a novella by Fredrick Forsyth, this short fantasy drama released by Disney has been a long time coming. Travolta, who plays the titular The Shepherd, first came across the story over 30 years ago. He had originally hoped to play the role of rookie fighter pilot Hook, who finds himself perilously running out of fuel over the North Sea on Christmas Eve, 1957. Instead that part is filled by Radcliffe, who gives an admirable performance in a role that sees him in every scene. This includes him having to deliver some incredibly exposition-heavy lines just to himself, such as "How can I land, if I've got no one to talk me down?" and "Hopefully someone will pick me up on radar. It's my only hope." Despite this jarring dialogue, the film -- at only 38 minutes -- flies along and Travolta reads the tone of the movie by giving a restrained but capturing performance. While it might not hit the heights of other classic Christmas shorts such as The Snowman, there's enough heart and intrigue here for a family viewing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they think happened to Flying Officer Freddie Hook in The Shepherd. Who, or what, were the two men who helped him?
What character strengths do you think it would take to be a fighter pilot?
The films is based on a novella. What other movies based on books have you seen?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: December 1, 2023
- Cast: Ben Radcliffe , John Travolta , Steven Mackintosh
- Director: Iain Softley
- Studio: Disney+
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Book Characters , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Courage
- Run time: 38 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: mild thematic elements
- Last updated: December 6, 2023
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