Before DreamWorks became the commercialized company it is today, they tried making some 2D animated movies, as a "take that" to Disney and an attempt to build a studio capable of rivaling said Disney. Today, DreamWorks admittedly doesn't have nearly the same respect that Disney or Pixar does, but when they try their hardest, when they put all their effort into creating a movie which will stand the test of time no matter how changed the industry becomes, there is not a single other studio capable of rivaling their brilliance. And nowhere has this ever been showcased more clearly, than in The Prince of Egypt. This is probably the only animated movie I've ever seen, where I genuinly cannot find anything I don't like. This is a retelling of the biblical story of Moses, yet it works for anyone, even a natural sceptical person like me. DreamWorks managed to make a movie that can appeal to everyone, from deeply religious people to atheists. There's not a single line of dialogue in this movie that doesn't work, not a single shot that doesn't look good. The animation is so expressive and gorgeous, and the mix of borderline revolutionary 3D effects and 2D character models makes for some of the most breathtaking sequences I've ever seen. The incredible score and fenomenal songs make all that even better as well.
The characters in this movie are some of the best written in animation history. Moses is such a great main character. He's sympathetic, well-defined and carries some very intersting burdens. I love seeing him change into a better person over the course of the movie. Rameses is equally fantastic a character, to the point where he might actually be the most well developed and compelling villain in any animated movie, yes even better than the best Disney villains. His struggles with being told he's not good enough by his father makes him very relatable, and even though he becomes a ruthless leader, one can't help but feel sorry for him. He didn't choose to be a farao, it was the burdens placed upon his shoulders from he was a boy that ended up defining him. The relationsship between Moses and Rameses is portrayed so realistically and feels so genuine. Their brotherly love is so engaging, and the growing rift between them is heartbreaking and compelling. The voice actor's performances are virtually flawless, especially Ralph Fiennes and Val Kilmer. The side characters are great as well, and the supporting cast does everything in their power to make each exchange of dialogue memorable and immersive. The pacing is perfect, the movie always manages to walk the fine line between fast and slow perfectly, and every new scene builds upon the existing story and advances the plot while being entertaining in their own right. And even though this movie has a much more serious subject matter than other animated movies, the comic relief feels natural and isn't shoved in your face like in other movies.
I could go on and on about this movie, but I think I've made my point pretty clear. There has never been a movie quite like this, especially not an animated one. It's one of those movies that just gets better and better everytime I watch it. It's practially a perfect movie, one of the very few I would give that title. Everything works to an amazing degree, and I have no doubt that it belongs in my top 5 movies of all time. It's just remarkable.
The characters in this movie are some of the best written in animation history. Moses is such a great main character. He's sympathetic, well-defined and carries some very intersting burdens. I love seeing him change into a better person over the course of the movie. Rameses is equally fantastic a character, to the point where he might actually be the most well developed and compelling villain in any animated movie, yes even better than the best Disney villains. His struggles with being told he's not good enough by his father makes him very relatable, and even though he becomes a ruthless leader, one can't help but feel sorry for him. He didn't choose to be a farao, it was the burdens placed upon his shoulders from he was a boy that ended up defining him. The relationsship between Moses and Rameses is portrayed so realistically and feels so genuine. Their brotherly love is so engaging, and the growing rift between them is heartbreaking and compelling. The voice actor's performances are virtually flawless, especially Ralph Fiennes and Val Kilmer. The side characters are great as well, and the supporting cast does everything in their power to make each exchange of dialogue memorable and immersive. The pacing is perfect, the movie always manages to walk the fine line between fast and slow perfectly, and every new scene builds upon the existing story and advances the plot while being entertaining in their own right. And even though this movie has a much more serious subject matter than other animated movies, the comic relief feels natural and isn't shoved in your face like in other movies.
I could go on and on about this movie, but I think I've made my point pretty clear. There has never been a movie quite like this, especially not an animated one. It's one of those movies that just gets better and better everytime I watch it. It's practially a perfect movie, one of the very few I would give that title. Everything works to an amazing degree, and I have no doubt that it belongs in my top 5 movies of all time. It's just remarkable.