BIBLICAL TALE PULLS NO PUNCHES

by Jason R. Hewlett

You've got to hand it to the people at Dreamworks. Their latest film, a fully animated retelling of the story of Moses, is pretty weighty stuff. It tells of how Moses frees his Hebrew people from the oppression of the Egyptians and it's all there. We see slaves being brutally whipped during construction of the pyramids and temples. We see Moses turn the Nile to blood. We see plagues of locusts and fire raining down upon the Egyptians. We even get to watch God take the first born from every Egyptian family. It's a dark, no-holds-barred interpretation of Exodus and I've got to give it merit on that level. Actually, I've only got one problem with the film but it's a biggy: why animate it? Sure, it's beautifully rendered. Some of it even looks real. It's a spectacle to watch but I kept thinking it would have been even more so if it were live-action. The effect would have been even more hard-hitting. The sequence where Moses parts the red sea blows away the same sequence in "The Ten Commandments" but it would have been even more stunning (in my opinion) if it were "real."

I think the animation also lures a lot of parents and kids under false pretenses. This is not a kids movie. Sure, it's a movie that all kids (and a truck-load of adults) should see. Our society has lost sight of a lot of what the Bible says and to have a major studio attempt a film version of even part of it is a noble effort. However, to have it animated automaticly categorizes it as a kids flick which it isn't. Most kids at the screening I saw were restless or couldn't follow what was going on. Add in the heaviness of some of the sequences and the film could even induce nightmares. Also, for some bizarre reason the makers of "Prince of Egypt" saw fit to throw in a few songs to move the plot along which I found detracted from the action. This isn't "The Lion King" here folks. A Biblical piece should warrant a more serious slant, not song and dance. Big mistake there. Either go totally kid-proof or totally realistic. You can't have it both ways.

Still, it's an enjoyable work and that's what matters. There's also heaps of vocal talent to enjoy. Val Kilmer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Patrick Stewart, and Danny Glover (to name just a few) contributed to the film and their talents are recognized. I also liked the fact that someone other than Disney took a shot at a major animated film...even if the film would have been better off done live. Anyways, that's just me.

6 out of 10!