The Ugly Side of Beauty

Save Ralph is a short animated film about Ralph, a rabbit who is used for cosmetic testing in a laboratory. Throughout the film, Ralph explains that his entire family died as a result of animal testing. Despite the suffering he experiences, he believes that the work is important because he is doing it for humans. The film does a powerful job of showing the reality of animal testing and the cruelty animals experience in laboratories.

"Without you and countries that allow animal testing, I'd be out of a job, I'd be out on the streets. Well, not the streets, more like a field I guess. You know, like a normal rabbit." -Ralph, Save Ralph

"It's okay, we do it for the humans, right? They're far superior than us animals- they've even been to space. Have you ever seen a rabbit in a rocket ship? I don't think so." -Ralph, Save Ralph

"Animal testing for cosmetics is not just cruel, it is absolutely unnecessary. These tests are unreliable predictors of human safety and can under- or over-estimate real-world hazards to people. Many non-animal methods have been, and continue to be, developed for new ingredients that deliver human-relevant results at less cost and in less time than traditional animal tests." -Ralph, Save Ralph

I Felt that Save Ralph was an effective film because it personifies Ralph in a way that allows viewers to connect with him through empathy. When trying to bring awareness to social issues, I think creating an emotional connection can be more powerful than simply presenting facts. We cannot help but feel bad for Ralph because he is portrayed as cute, innocent, and defenseless, which makes it difficult to see him being used for cosmetic testing.

The film made me think about how animals are affected by products that we use every day and made me reflect on the types of cosmetics I choose to buy. It is easy to purchase a product without thinking about how it was made, but Save Ralph encourages viewers to look beyond the product itself and consider the consequences behind it. Overall, I think the film is effective because it does more than tell us that animal testing is cruel; it makes us feel empathy for Ralph and encourages us to reflect on our own choices.

Reference

Human Word for Animals. (2021, April 6) Save Ralph - A short film with Taika Waititi. [Video] Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G393z8s8nFY