IN AN age when computer animation is moving forwards in leaps and bounds and audiences are demanding ever more spectacular special effects, it's heartening to know that a simple tale of friendship can easily outmuscle The Hulk and his box office compatriots.

What Piglet's Big Movie may lack in eye candy, the film more than makes up in heart and honest-to-goodness emotion, filtered through the adventures of AA Milne's colourful characters.

Winnie The Pooh (voiced by Jim Cummings), Tigger (Cummings again), Eeyore (Peter Cullen) and Rabbit (Ken Sansom) begin preparations for the annual honey harvest - a precarious operation involving luring the bees out of their hive then stealing the sticky golden nectar.

When diminutive Piglet (voiced by John Fiedler) offers to lend a hand, his friends rudely tell him that he is just too small. Unperturbed, Piglet joins in with the plan, only to see his valiant efforts end in disaster.

Feeling unwanted and unloved, Piglet ventures deep within the wood to find someone who will appreciate him despite his size.

When the others realise Piglet is missing, they immediately form a search party and scour all of their friend's favourite haunts.

In the process, Pooh and co reminisce about some of their best adventures - including escapades with Kanga (Kath Soucie), Roo (Nikita Hopkins) and Christopher Robin (Tom Wheatley) - and they understand how great Piglet's influence has been on them all and how much they all love him.

Piglet's Big Movie is a delightful tale of friendship and solidarity which warms the cockles of your heart, as Pooh and co realise that the 'very small animal' in their midst has been a big hero in many ways.

The traditional hand-drawn animation vividly brings the residents of Hundred Acre Wood to life, and the vocal performances are all strong.

Carly Simon provides an upbeat and catchy score which errs close to schmaltz, including the ballads If I Wasn't So Small, A Mother's Intuition and With A Few Good Friends.

Kids will love the colourful visuals and humour, and parents could well find themselves suffering a small lump in the throat by the end credits.

Rating: 7//10