Review of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) by Kenneth E — 07 Aug 2014

I watched this film for the first time in years with my niece. It was my favorite movie as a kid and it didn't disappoint me one bit as an adult! Anyone who says this movie was pushing propaganda or animal rights; clearly did not see this as a kid!

When I watched this the last thing I wanted to do was "free all the enslaved horses", I wanted to go ride them! I wanted to be best friends with them like the Indian and the painted horse were in this movie. Treating my horse well, letting it roam free in pastures, then explore with it through trails and forests.

My nieces reacted the same exact way and I am taking them to their first riding lesson this weekend. This film is more about showing the importance of treating animals kindly and not trying to tame wild born animals (just keep it to animals born / raised in captivity), this is the point kids really don't even pay attention to anyways.

Kids identify as the horse being a version of themselves, an inspirational person who doesn't give up, doesn't back down, and cares tremendously for loved ones. Stupid people focusing on "supposed" propaganda are the reason all the new Disney movies are crap about princesses and magical powers, nothing to get kids passionate about stuff they can accomplish in real life.

As for the Indian vs. USA Military, kids are force fed the ideas that settlers were very nice to Indians for the first part, that they are heroes. No one mentions that Christopher Columbus and other "heroes of elementary school" was truly a cruel slave owner until we get to middle school. It is nice to have something to give kids a bit more perspective of how things really went down (though it is also not honest, omitting plenty of stuff kids couldn't understand). It's a touchy subject to teach to kids, which is why it is very lightly touched on this film and not the main point - at all. They just needed a bad guy.

In reality: This movie get's kids passionate about horses, animals, wildlife, camping, hiking, and the beauty of our own country. Not many Disney movies accomplish this today (if any). They just keep on getting more and more "non-offensive" and pushing stuff like love, marriage and magic on toddlers. As well as crappy repetitive songs. Every kid should watch this movie and go get in the saddle!