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DVD Review
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
By Lee Tistaert Published May 25, 2003
US Release: May 24, 2002
Directed by: Kelly Asbury Lorna Cook
Starring: Matt Damon
G
Running Time: 83 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $73,280,117
Directed by: Kelly Asbury Lorna Cook
Starring: Matt Damon
G
Running Time: 83 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $73,280,117
C
115 of 143
Not particularly entertaining nor is it exactly exciting
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is not particularly entertaining nor is it exactly exciting; for an animated adventure I wouldn?t exactly call this a very good movie.
Let alone is this family picture lacking oomph but it is poorly written, with dialogue and voice-overs pointing out the obvious as if we can?t paint a mental image (of the conditions) on our own. In a sense the project is lucky to have Matt Damon playing the main (horse) protagonist, as it is a familiar voice that is often times pleasing to the ear. But with any unknown actor supplying the vocals we probably wouldn?t care less about the character. Even as it is, with Damon the conditions are no different regardless.
For a star evidently aware of what good screenplays look like, with an impressive track record as well as being able to host competitions searching for the sincere and inspired scripts, what did Damon see in this? He reads through the lines with that recognizable calm tone as if he?s giving an interview, but the real acting side of him seems to be hiding; actually, he?s probably playing the material to its potential. It?s just that the substance on the page is so simple and cheesy that you?re wondering when he?s going to recite poem excerpts on why the world is such a lovely place or why being a horse is such a proud species to be.
The script is also manipulative without backing itself up with genuine support, making the experience a rather frustrating one as all we would like to get is at least one well written piece of "something". The story goes through the motions of a standard animation feature, introducing our supposed heroes and their life but not building into any solid scenarios where producing audience involvement would result. The flick assumes that children will find immediate compassion because yes, the characters are horses, and they?re living creatures as we are.
The problem is that for anybody over age eight or so, the viewer might ask for more to digest in the ways of intelligence. A movie like Spirit can work, but the script needs to have fine foundation in order for it to function properly. We have to care for our subject matter, and as the story progresses the only reason to care is that our hero thinks we should. The process of the viewer having emotional involvement should be automatic without having to be told; smart scripts offer scenes where we instantaneously find heart within our personas on-screen; here, the said material is as limber as the film?s running time.
Matt Damon voices the main character, Spirit, a horse that falls for another female stallion but he is soon captured by U.S. Cavalry who cage the animal up, hoping to tame him. Thus, this forms an emotional detachment between the relationship, with Spirit trying his best to stay safe. What I didn?t appreciate about this story was how simple and straightforward it is; there are no engaging subplots, and even the current premise is one-dimensional, looking to please moviegoers who don?t require a whole lot of thought to be find deep emotional attachment.
We witness the story through Spirit?s eyes, with the narrative being his voice-over thoughts as events occur to him. I guess I could give the animated tale points for not giving the horse species speaking parts; but like dogs or any number of those creatures you never know if they?re communicating through a connection us humans are unaware of. Nevertheless, it avoids the common clich? these tales often present, but even with the current script the voice-over work is as original and inspired as most non-Disney animated adventures that are ever attempted.
Having been a fan of very few animated efforts since Aladdin and Lion King, you could say that I might be too hard on these projects, as typically any film is hard to construct to a solid level. They demand strong talent and devotion in execution via production, let alone the intense mind process of writing the screenplay. But with Spirit, the script couldn?t have been too hard to create as it forms all the usual clich?s children?s movies depend on for easy involvement. We have characters who aren?t well thought of in terms of personality breakdown, backed up by animation that is very basic to the point where literally everything looks fake.
In an animated film its society should almost be reality but in an almost fantasy tone; here, the animation makes it abundantly clear why DreamWorks is no Disney. The studio certainly produced a solid hit in both sales and quality with the computer animated Shrek, but in terms of the fundamental roots of non-live action the company can?t seem to brew up exciting outcomes.
With a good script, good direction, and solid story, DreamWorks could find themselves a rewarding animated experience that pleases the entire family and even those not in that bracket. With Spirit they have not accomplished that, as I was ready for this film to end about fifteen minutes through; when is that ever a good thing?
There are going to be viewers who enjoy this film for the basic themes it supplies and the idea of love; but if cornball delivery is not the precise desire from the audience, Spirit will be emotionally flat. And for a film that lives off its emotions for impact, this project is not in very promising shape. It?s a predictable road that goes where we expect; but if you?re not willing to wait 80 minutes to see the expected, you might as well halt your DVD player about fifteen minutes in ? if it even takes that long.
This is not a bad movie but I definitely don?t see it as a worthy one; it plays routine notes and does nothing we don?t expect, but in the ways of entertainment and exciting adventures these journeys are meant to take the audience on, Spirit does very little.
DVD Features:
- Commentary by Directors Kelly Asbury & Lorna Cook and Producer Mirelle Soria
- Production Notes
- Make-A-Movie Studio: DVD-ROM Feature allows you to create your own scenes from elements of the film
- The Animation of Spirit
- The Songs of Spirit
- Learn to Draw Spirit with Animator James Baxter
- 15 Interactive Games
- Full-Screen & Widescreen Format
Audio Features:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Let alone is this family picture lacking oomph but it is poorly written, with dialogue and voice-overs pointing out the obvious as if we can?t paint a mental image (of the conditions) on our own. In a sense the project is lucky to have Matt Damon playing the main (horse) protagonist, as it is a familiar voice that is often times pleasing to the ear. But with any unknown actor supplying the vocals we probably wouldn?t care less about the character. Even as it is, with Damon the conditions are no different regardless.
For a star evidently aware of what good screenplays look like, with an impressive track record as well as being able to host competitions searching for the sincere and inspired scripts, what did Damon see in this? He reads through the lines with that recognizable calm tone as if he?s giving an interview, but the real acting side of him seems to be hiding; actually, he?s probably playing the material to its potential. It?s just that the substance on the page is so simple and cheesy that you?re wondering when he?s going to recite poem excerpts on why the world is such a lovely place or why being a horse is such a proud species to be.
The script is also manipulative without backing itself up with genuine support, making the experience a rather frustrating one as all we would like to get is at least one well written piece of "something". The story goes through the motions of a standard animation feature, introducing our supposed heroes and their life but not building into any solid scenarios where producing audience involvement would result. The flick assumes that children will find immediate compassion because yes, the characters are horses, and they?re living creatures as we are.
The problem is that for anybody over age eight or so, the viewer might ask for more to digest in the ways of intelligence. A movie like Spirit can work, but the script needs to have fine foundation in order for it to function properly. We have to care for our subject matter, and as the story progresses the only reason to care is that our hero thinks we should. The process of the viewer having emotional involvement should be automatic without having to be told; smart scripts offer scenes where we instantaneously find heart within our personas on-screen; here, the said material is as limber as the film?s running time.
Matt Damon voices the main character, Spirit, a horse that falls for another female stallion but he is soon captured by U.S. Cavalry who cage the animal up, hoping to tame him. Thus, this forms an emotional detachment between the relationship, with Spirit trying his best to stay safe. What I didn?t appreciate about this story was how simple and straightforward it is; there are no engaging subplots, and even the current premise is one-dimensional, looking to please moviegoers who don?t require a whole lot of thought to be find deep emotional attachment.
We witness the story through Spirit?s eyes, with the narrative being his voice-over thoughts as events occur to him. I guess I could give the animated tale points for not giving the horse species speaking parts; but like dogs or any number of those creatures you never know if they?re communicating through a connection us humans are unaware of. Nevertheless, it avoids the common clich? these tales often present, but even with the current script the voice-over work is as original and inspired as most non-Disney animated adventures that are ever attempted.
Having been a fan of very few animated efforts since Aladdin and Lion King, you could say that I might be too hard on these projects, as typically any film is hard to construct to a solid level. They demand strong talent and devotion in execution via production, let alone the intense mind process of writing the screenplay. But with Spirit, the script couldn?t have been too hard to create as it forms all the usual clich?s children?s movies depend on for easy involvement. We have characters who aren?t well thought of in terms of personality breakdown, backed up by animation that is very basic to the point where literally everything looks fake.
In an animated film its society should almost be reality but in an almost fantasy tone; here, the animation makes it abundantly clear why DreamWorks is no Disney. The studio certainly produced a solid hit in both sales and quality with the computer animated Shrek, but in terms of the fundamental roots of non-live action the company can?t seem to brew up exciting outcomes.
With a good script, good direction, and solid story, DreamWorks could find themselves a rewarding animated experience that pleases the entire family and even those not in that bracket. With Spirit they have not accomplished that, as I was ready for this film to end about fifteen minutes through; when is that ever a good thing?
There are going to be viewers who enjoy this film for the basic themes it supplies and the idea of love; but if cornball delivery is not the precise desire from the audience, Spirit will be emotionally flat. And for a film that lives off its emotions for impact, this project is not in very promising shape. It?s a predictable road that goes where we expect; but if you?re not willing to wait 80 minutes to see the expected, you might as well halt your DVD player about fifteen minutes in ? if it even takes that long.
This is not a bad movie but I definitely don?t see it as a worthy one; it plays routine notes and does nothing we don?t expect, but in the ways of entertainment and exciting adventures these journeys are meant to take the audience on, Spirit does very little.
DVD Features:
- Commentary by Directors Kelly Asbury & Lorna Cook and Producer Mirelle Soria
- Production Notes
- Make-A-Movie Studio: DVD-ROM Feature allows you to create your own scenes from elements of the film
- The Animation of Spirit
- The Songs of Spirit
- Learn to Draw Spirit with Animator James Baxter
- 15 Interactive Games
- Full-Screen & Widescreen Format
Audio Features:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Lee's Grade: C
Ranked #115 of 143 between Clockstoppers (#114) and Ice Age (#116) for 2002 movies.
Ranked #115 of 143 between Clockstoppers (#114) and Ice Age (#116) for 2002 movies.
Lee's Overall Grading: 3025 graded movies
| A | 0.4% | |
| B | 30.0% | |
| C | 61.7% | |
| D | 8.0% | |
| F | 0.0% |
