Rating: 
Summary: Finally, a pretty good animated film without talking animals
Review: The opening sequence of "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron," in which an eagle flies across the grand vistas of the American West until we catch up with the herd of wild mustangs in which the title character lives was used quite effectively as the trailer for this film, in much the same manner as was done with the computer animated film "Dinosaur." The comparison is particularly apt because when I saw "Dinosaur" I was disappointed that all of the characters talked; I thought we would be seeing the equivalent of a prehistoric Disney nature film. In contrast, I was pleasantly surprised that Spirit and the other horses in this animated Dreamworks film did not talk. There is narration on Spirit's behalf by Matt Damon, but the music of Han Zimmer and the songs of Bryan Adams serve as the horse's voice as well. Overall, I think the filmmakers more than rise to the challenge of telling a story without talking animals. This is not a cute cartoon in the grand Disney tradition and "Spirit" is much the better for it, with the expressiveness of Spirit's face exceeding anything you have seen before. The story is set in the Old West and tells the story of Spirit, a wild mustang stallion who comes into contact with humans: first cowboys, then the U.S. cavalry, and then Indians. Each group thinks they can tame the wild stallion, but they underestimate their opponent (just branding the horse proves to be an insurmountable obstacle). Eventually Spirit learns to distinguish between the heavy handed colonel (voiced by James Cromwell) and the young brave Little Creek (voiced by Daniel Studi). Yes, Spirit emerges through these adventures as something of a super horse, constantly doing the impossible, but holding animated films to the standard of reality is hardly appropriate. Spirit symbolizes the imperative of freedom and as such ultimately earns the respect of the mere humans in his story. The result is not a great animated film, but certainly a very good one that should appeal to adults as well as children, and since the film only runs 83 minutes long it should not tax either age group that much.
Rating:
Summary: This movie has Spirit!
Review: I went to the theatre to see this movie with my then 4 & 3 yr old girls. I had to fight back tears in certain areas of the film!-That's how much emotion this movie brings (perhaps due to the storyline and because I'm a Mom). I agree that the sensitive preschoolers should wait a year or two to view this one. Nothing really bad - perhaps just scary for a young one.
I enjoyed the fact that the horses didn't "speak english" but winnied & neighed and communicated with each other in their own way. Sort of lets the viewer decide what they are really saying to each other. The narration tells you all you need to know - the rest is left to your own imagination.
My kids thoroughly enjoyed it and wanted to talk about it when it was over! We have added it to our own library of movies & they request to watch it at least once every other week.
Good movie! Great story! Worth the money!
Rating: 
Summary: Animation's Superb, That's About It
Review: A spirited stallion (hence, his name) is captured by the U.S. Calvary, where a proud, cruel general tries to break him to no avail. A captured Native American frees the horse and takes him to his village. There, Spirit learns that the "two-legs" can be kind and gentle (but, naturally, ONLY the Native Americans are like this). He meets a beautiful mare, but catastrophic events separate them and it becomes likely that Spirit may never see those he loves ever again.
The animation and effects are superb, like Lion King or Prince of Egypt. Unlike these films, however, Spirit does not have an equally powerful, compelling story (maybe they shouldn't have had as much of the horses?) :-). The plot is fairly cliched fare, further weakened by a one-dimensional view of history. The whites are portrayed as, at worst, evil and ruthless and, at best, kind of dumb. All the Natives are good, kind, at-one-with-nature, etc. This may refresh those fed up with old-time Hollywood's often negative view on Indians, but it's not completely true. Political correctness aside, this film is fun to watch or put on for the kids, but it's not brain food.
Rating: 
Summary: Five stars!
Review: I actually went to the movie theatre to see this movie, and I loved it. It was a really good experience for me- a real relief from Disney movies that have stunk the past couple of years. The animation was SPECTACULAR. The movements of the animals on the screen were realistic and believable. The storyline was simple and is easy to follow if you have a child. It was basically about a horse who was captured by the bad white men (steriotypical, yes) and taken to a ranch. They mistreat him, and he refuses to be tamed because he has so much "spirit" in him. The good native american helps him get away from there, and Spirit is on a journey to be free again. It is a very emotional movie, and Dreamworks really outdid itself. I think people of all ages will enjoy it, especially if you like horses. The music was also incredible and inspiring.
Rating:
Summary: The African American Perspective
Review: Naturally, when I watched this movie, my view was totally different from other viewers. I identified with the horse and the Native American as someone whose ancestors were treated like the horse. I cried often during the movie and after I watched it the first time, the memory of that horse pulling the locomotive haunted me for days. I think the movie was well done technically. More importantly, it delivered a powerful message about our country's history.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Movie!!!
Review: I enjoyed this film so much I later bought a copy of the video and the soundtrack. The animation is superb -- I love the way they have Spirit rearing while the rest of the herd gallops swiftly past him, and the wind blows his hair about in a very realistic way. The music is terrific, and the horses move and sound like real horses. This is a great film to watch if you enjoy seeing pictures of beautiful wild horses running free in green meadows. The opening scene, where you follow the flight of an eagle through the American west -- is breathtaking.
Spirit's story is riveting and heart-warming -- his saga keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end of the movie. One of the saddest scenes is when he's captured by the cowboys who turn him over to an army general (the voice, oddly enough, belongs to the same guy who played the gentle farmer in "Babe.") The general treats Spirit cruelly by depriving him of food and water for three days in the hot sun, hoping to break his spirit, which he fails to do. But then Spirit escapes with the help of a new friend, Little Creek, a kind and considerate Indian brave. Little Creek's horse, Rain is a spirited and charming paint mare. At first she and Spirit have a clash of wills, but later they develop a strong bond. Spirit is kidnapped again during an army raid on the Indian camp, but he escapes and meets up with Little Creek, and they return together to what is left of the camp. I love the ending of the film, when Spirit and Rain run back to Spirit's herd and are standing together on top of a hill with the wind blowing their hair.
Delightful as the film is, however, there is a note of warning: The horses in this film do not talk, but communicate by neighing, snorting and whinnying. If listening to these natural horse sounds for an hour or so drives you crazy, you might want to steer clear of this film. I've spent a lot of time around horses, so I know what these various sounds mean, but other people might not. However, I think it's an unusual -- and refreshing -- approach to an animated film.
This is one incredible movie! Definitely five stars!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Movie to Watch with Grandchildren
Review: It is rare that I watch a movie more than once, but after watching Spirit with my 3 year-old grandson and seeing how sweet it was, I watched it three more times. It has a good story line and is appropriate for young and old alike. Usually cartoon movies aren't that great (to me) unless it is the Lion King or a movie along that line. I was amazed at how easy it was to watch.
Rating:
Summary: OWN THIS FILM you will not regret it!
Review: This is the first time I have ever actually wrote a review on any film I've seen.. and since this movie did not make a huge impression at the box office I thought I NEED to tell people how absolutely fantastic this film is! I live in California and have drawn horses since I was able to hold a pencil... the animators have done an excellent job depicting the movements, emotions and subtleties of a 'real' horse. They have drawn the south west/west exactly how I pictured this land must have looked like before us 'two-legged' appeared. This is an animation WITHOUT animals talking (like Disney flicks) -- rather Dreamworks have studied horses and used their language.. and when there was no other way to try to cross the bridge between human/horse languages they used Narration and music to convey the emotions for us to understand. The story line of this film is superb! If you have younger kids that may ask questions- Good! Take the time and inform them of our history! IF you are patriotic, this is a GREAT representation of FREEDOM and our history. It's good to show how people conquered this continent to tame it for our uses... and hopefully spark an interest in how someone can respect and protect our land.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie, corny soundtrack
Review: The first thing that hit me about this film was that the horses didn't speak to each other. Sure, there was a voice over of Matt Damon narrating Spirit's thoughts, but overall, they whinnied and neighed to each other. I was surpised at how much my kids took a shine to this- I was afraid they'd be bored. But my 4 year old boy spent the entire afternoon galloping around the house, whinnying. Pretty darn cute. Spirit is a horse that, once captured by the U.S. Calvary, meets and captive indian who proves to be different than the white men Spirit has encountered. The movie follows his escape and that of other captured horses. Sounds pretty boring, but believe me, kids love it. My only complaint is that the entire soundtrack department was left to goomey singer Bryan Adams. Now, I like Adams, but in small doses. Hearing him sing different songs throughout the movie cheesed it up big time (think of the "Prince of Thieves" soundtrack, and you'll get a general idea). DVD features include 15 games for kids (all of which are fun, but short), DreamWorks "Animation of Spirit", where we get a look at the hand drawn 2 dimensional animation combined with the 3-D computer generated effects. Also, adults and kids alike can create their own movie using real stuff from the film. I found this to be the best special feature offered, and it has entertained the kids for hours. All in all, a satisfying purchase- would have been 5 stars with better special features and less Bryan Adams.
Rating:
Summary: Neat, but also...
Review: First, I'll give you the pros! Gorgeous, beautiful animations with the horse action pretty true-to-life! Filled with action and compassion, and wonderful characters. The horses don't talk, they make real horse noises and there are lots of funny and beautiful horse characters. The songs are great...I love "And from on high, from somewhere in the distance, there's a voice that calls, REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE!".Easy-to follow plot! NOW HERE ARE MY CONS. Remember that I'm almost a horse expert, and although this movie was animated, and meant for little kids, I have a few bones to pick. Like in the opening scene, Spirit's dam (mother) is giving birth in the open while all the other horses watch. Wrong! Horse dams always slip away before a horse is born so no other horses bothers her. Then Spirit becomes a stallion and says "Like my father before me, I became leader of the Cimmaron herd". Wrong again. Stallions always kick the colts out before they become a challenge. Then twin foals (baby horses)--not wrong, it happens, but twins are rare....
Rain's color is so fake. And she's not a Paint, she's a pinto, since paints are a breed and have to be a specific conformaiton. Also, how is the horse smart enough to laugh and make a train engine fall downhill? There's more, but I'll take up space. Bye. P.S I'M REALLY 14, BUT THE ADULT FORM IS LOCKED UP.
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