THE PLOT THUS FAR
As a wild stallion travels across the frontiers of the Old West, he befriends a young human and finds true love with a mare.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” is a weird flick. The Bryan Adams songs don’t add much to a flick about saving the American frontier. Still, there’s Indians and a talking horse to keep everything straight. There’s a building subplot of railroad expansion that keeps going throughout the film without any real payoff. I’ve heard a lot of people discuss how the film plays better to sensitive types, as it doesn’t want to have a direct narrative. Well, this is the American cinema. Tell a story or pack up your doodles and go the f**k home.
Matt Damon as a talking horse doesn’t really make sense on paper. But, he’s more to guide the personality of a horse that expresses a lot of what he’s feeling through bodily expression. This is a film dedicated to the ability of hand animation. But, where has that gone? The film came around at a weird spot in time where CGI was taking over, but hand animation could still capture award season attention. If you have a kid under the age of 10, I’d be shocked if they remember it. Do you remember it? I was only aware of it due to covering that year’s Award Season so much. Hell, when is the last time you’ve heard James Cromwell or Matt Damon talk about it? Don’t let this film be forgotten.
The Blu-Ray comes with a DVD copy, commentary, featurettes and storyboards as the special features. The A/V Quality is impeccable for an older animated film that didn’t get much love. The 1080p transfer is stunning for hand drawn animation. I get why the flick has a cult following now. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!