Movie Review

SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON (2002)

EW's GRADE
B+

Details Release Date: May 24, 2002; Rated: G; Length: 82 Minutes; Genres: Animation, Kids and Family, Western; With: James Cromwell, Matt Damon and Daniel Studi; Distributor: DreamWorks

The wild horse hero doesn't sing, or joke, or even talk (his thoughts are delivered by a plainspoken Matt Damon), and that barely verbal quietude stands the movie in good stead. Spirit, a solemn neo-''Bambi,'' has been made with simple, elegant conviction. The filmmakers have figured out how to give traditional ''2-D'' animation the visual dynamism of CGI. None of this would matter, though, if the tale didn't draw us into its born-to-roam-free spell. Spirit, captured by Union soldiers, fights to stay a beautiful unbroken beast, and there is scarcely a kid in the audience who won't relate to his quest.

Originally posted Jun 07, 2002 Published in issue #657 Jun 07, 2002 Order article reprints

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