I never liked stories with children talking with animals neither in the age of 5,
neither watching animals dressed and cook in their houses with doors and windows.
I could never feel the very typical English fairy tales, with "lets all have a tea moments", the "King" and the "young prince" to be, of becoming a "knight" with a lion shield and a spade.
This film hadnt a beginning, a plot and an end...
The 40' introduction wasnt needed IMO, maybe the book had to say more about the war and the bad Germans bombing and terrorising innocent children but the film missed that.
Caracters were too superficial, even the evil princess wasnt anything special,
this film doesnt have any value and offer nothing more to the children than a waste of time.
In makes Harry potter look like a masterpiece...