Review of The Prince of Egypt (1998) by Kenneth E — 06 Jan 2013

This may very well be the king of all animated American features of the 1990s. Never trying to compete with Cecil B DeMille's live-action epic, this is a personal, lyrical, (and in many ways, more faithful) retelling of the story of Exodus. Most significantly is the decision to focus on the humanity and indecisiveness of Moses, instead of the iconic (borderline godlike) qualities often associated with a muscular Charton Heston. The musical score and numbers in this film impress in the greatest way possible; the animation, with its detail and careful attention to light and shadows, is reminiscent of moody Baroque art; the filmmakers, with Brenda Chapman at the helm, do not shy away from the disturbing, adult themes of the story. And to top it off, the climatic Red Sea still wows today because the scene was never crafted for photorealism, but for aesthetic sensation. This film is bold, beautiful, and speaks to children and adults alike, as it contains a certain joy rarely seen in the cartoon world.

Dreamworks Animation ain't what it use to be.