I have to admit, I was skeptical about this film. An animated feature about a horse fighting for his freedom during the "How the West Was Won" years. It sounded a little dull. Well I couldn't have been more wrong. SPIRIT is a captivating film... beautifully animated and told.
In the film's dramatic opening, we follow an eagle as it soars through rich Western landscapes. The backgrounds are stunning. I've never seen better in a 2D animated film. The eagle flies over a rushing river and into a forest, which comes alive with fluttering birds and frolicking bears. Han Zimmer adds an eloquent score, which gave me chills. There's some tasteful narration during this segment, done by Matt Damon. A perfect choice for the voice of the hero, Spirit. I'm not a big fan of narration, but the film-makers were smart, and the narration is used sparingly. Within moments a herd of horses charges over the horizon and the audience is taken on a wild ride.
The big surprise in this film is the amount of story telling that is achieved without much dialogue. Yes, the horses in SPIRIT don't talk. I was shocked too. John Fusco is credited with the screenplay, but he obviously didn't have much to write. The real story tellers here are the animators. These horses are beautifully drawn. Their dramatic expressions tell you everything the horses might think or want to say. It's nice to see a film daring enough to break away from the Disney formula. I was dreading a sequence with singing and dancing horses. Fortunately, it never came. There are no silly side-kicks either. Again, a welcomed change.
I don't want to give away too much of the story, because it is quite an exciting experience. The basic premise deals with a stallion named Spirit who is captured by some cowboys. Spirit is then dragged off to a Cavalry fort, but he never forgets his herd and longs to return to them. Spirit meets a mean colonel, a friendly Indian and a attractive mare (you knew there had to be a love interest) in his travels. All of them help open Spirit's eyes to the new world around him.
The film features songs from Brian Adams. Most of the songs are strong and serve the story well. Once or twice I felt the songs were a little too close to each other, but that is only a minor gripe.
Overall, I found the film completely engaging and surprisingly moving. Also, the themes, especially involving freedom, are very timely, given the post-9/11 era we find ourselves living in. Without a doubt the best animated feature in a long, long time. I look forward to seeing it again.
In the film's dramatic opening, we follow an eagle as it soars through rich Western landscapes. The backgrounds are stunning. I've never seen better in a 2D animated film. The eagle flies over a rushing river and into a forest, which comes alive with fluttering birds and frolicking bears. Han Zimmer adds an eloquent score, which gave me chills. There's some tasteful narration during this segment, done by Matt Damon. A perfect choice for the voice of the hero, Spirit. I'm not a big fan of narration, but the film-makers were smart, and the narration is used sparingly. Within moments a herd of horses charges over the horizon and the audience is taken on a wild ride.
The big surprise in this film is the amount of story telling that is achieved without much dialogue. Yes, the horses in SPIRIT don't talk. I was shocked too. John Fusco is credited with the screenplay, but he obviously didn't have much to write. The real story tellers here are the animators. These horses are beautifully drawn. Their dramatic expressions tell you everything the horses might think or want to say. It's nice to see a film daring enough to break away from the Disney formula. I was dreading a sequence with singing and dancing horses. Fortunately, it never came. There are no silly side-kicks either. Again, a welcomed change.
I don't want to give away too much of the story, because it is quite an exciting experience. The basic premise deals with a stallion named Spirit who is captured by some cowboys. Spirit is then dragged off to a Cavalry fort, but he never forgets his herd and longs to return to them. Spirit meets a mean colonel, a friendly Indian and a attractive mare (you knew there had to be a love interest) in his travels. All of them help open Spirit's eyes to the new world around him.
The film features songs from Brian Adams. Most of the songs are strong and serve the story well. Once or twice I felt the songs were a little too close to each other, but that is only a minor gripe.
Overall, I found the film completely engaging and surprisingly moving. Also, the themes, especially involving freedom, are very timely, given the post-9/11 era we find ourselves living in. Without a doubt the best animated feature in a long, long time. I look forward to seeing it again.