Watership Down (film) the US box office, earning only US$3 million against a budget of $4 million. The British Board of Film Classification have been criticized for declaring Watership Down as a U rating, which is intended for anyone at least 4 years of age. The film was released to theatres in the UK before the PG rating was created in the UK, but had never been rerated after the PG rating came. The fact that the film is an animation about rabbits makes many unaware parents mistake the film for being a typical child-friendly film, arguing that the frequency of gore, death,
Watership Down tales of the "real story". "The Economist" heralded the book's publication, saying "If there is no place for "Watership Down" in children’s bookshops, then children’s literature is dead." Peter Prescott, senior book reviewer at "Newsweek", gave the novel a glowing review: "Adams handles his suspenseful narrative more dextrously than most authors who claim to write adventure novels, but his true achievement lies in the consistent, comprehensible and altogether enchanting civilisation that he has created." Kathleen J. Rothen and Beverly Langston identified the work as one that "subtly speaks to a child", with "engaging characters and fast-paced action [that] make it