Review of The Little Prince (2015) by Ashley N — 09 Jun 2017

The Little Prince follows an overworked little girl with a well-meaning, but overbearing mother find magic and wonder in a story and a friend who lives next door. The first half of the story alternates between Pixar style animation in the girl's everyday life and a stop motion-esque style that is used when the friend, an old man, regales her with his story. In the second half the story kicks the illusion of a universe situated in reality and goes for an all-out whimsical adventure.

The art and voice acting are superbly well done.Each emotion is fully conveyed and the characters are engaging and well thought out. The design choice of a careful grid system juxtaposed next to a disjointed, overgrown, off-center house. The general dichotomy of structure versus free roaming and adulthood versus childhood is well executed through out. The second half has a particularly well constructed segment demonstrating how dreams of childhood are ultimately used against us in adulthood if we fall into a trap of, what's known in the film as, "forgetting.".

There's a repeated subversion of child film tropes prevalent throughout as well and while children may miss it, it's something that works really well in keeping adult attentions. The overall message of the film is one that would largely appeal to adults as well. Also, the second half, while exciting for children, hits a poignant note that I think most adults would identify with in some way or another.

All in all, it's a great film. A story that captivates children and a message that grasps the heartstrings of adults.