The Sandlot (1993) (Movie Review)

  Of the many things I love and enjoy, sports in general has just never been one of them. I love exercising, and I frequently do outdoor activities like bike riding, or rock climbing, but I’ve just never been one to sign-up for any kind of sport. I certainly don’t have any animosity for sports, there are just other actives I’d rather do outdoors. As such, I feel even less about sports themed movies, as the majority of them repeat the exact same formula, and while it’s led to some decent films, it’s just never been a genera that’s won me over. Having said that, regardless of my lack of interest in sports, or the sports movie genera … 1993’s “The Sandlot” will always stick with me as one of my personal all-time favorite movies. While it can be categorized as a Baseball movie, it’s really less about the sport, and more about childhood friendships, and the fun experiences they shared together. You could actually categorize this film in the same vain of coming of age adventure movies like “Stand by Me”, or “The Goonies”. Another way you could view this film is … as Roger Ebert put it … a Summer time version of "A Christmas Story", as it does replicate the same life-and-times atmosphere, while laced with a lot of comedy. The sports elements only really serve as the one thing that binds the friendship of these kids together, which I think most viewers can relate to weather their sports fans or not. 

  Just like the aforementioned “Stand by Me” and “A Christmas Story”, “The Sandlot” is told from the perspective of an adult who’s reflecting back on his childhood, and as a result, a good chunk of the film is told through narration. The movie was directed by David Mickey Evans, who also provides the narration through the film, and it gives the movie a personal touch. Our lead boy is named Scott Smalls, who just moved to a small neighborhood area, and is really just trying to fit in, while also trying to get along with his new step-dad. Over time, he eventually becomes friends with a group of boys who are all obsessed with Baseball, and have their own little Dimond called the Sandlot, where they play an endless game without really keeping any score or choosing teams ... it’s just them doing what they love. 

The film continues over the course of one Summer, and we see all the little experiences that shaped this Summer into the greatest time of Scott smalls childhood. The movie can almost be viewed as a collection of little vignette’s, as it’s all about experiencing little moments … some funny, some scary, some charming, and some downright thrilling. The one narrative thread in the picture revolves around the urban legend of a mysterious neighbor’s backyard, and a dangerous pet dog on the other side, which the kids colorfully refer to as The Beast. Another thing that ties these boys together is a mutual love for Baseball legend Babe Ruth, who’s their idle, and we see the almost psychotic lengths they go through just to safe guard something as simple as a baseball with his signature on it.              

   Without question, the absolute best thing this movie has going for it is a perfectly chosen cast of child actors. Each kid shines with a distinct personality, charisma and they create this welcoming atmosphere in which I feel like I’m one with the group.

In most cases, a group of child-actors can be really challenging to work with, as the filmmakers need to work around their schedules, the kids might not get along, and some times they just don’t feel like acting. By contrast, the kids in “The Sandlot” never once feel like they showed up to a set to act. They share a sense of comradery, like their real friends that have known each-other for years, and for as corny as they get at times, the performances are solid all around. The main boy is named Scotty Smalls, who’s the new kid on the block, and the most level headed. Watching this movie as a kid, I always singled out Smalls as the most relatable, as I too had to move to a number of places during my childhood, and had to cope with making new friends. He’s also the one who’s most out of touch with knowledge of the game, which leads to one of the films most quoted lines … “Your Killing me Smalls!” Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez is the team leader, and the good-looking star who’s the best player on the team. Despite being the conventional ring-leader, he also shines as the moral compass, who’s always encouraging Smalls to push himself, always giving helpful advice, and always keeping the team organized. He’s just an all-around great guy, and the one member I wish I could have been the most like back when I was a kid.

   The remaining kids at first glance may seem like your typical cliché young sports team, with a token fat kid, a token Nerd with big glasses, and a token African American … but there’s so much more to these boys that go beyond just being token tropes. The fat boy named `Ham', and the Geeky boy named `Squints' are both brimming with a distinct personality, charm and have stuck with me as iconic characters in their own right. The African American boy is named DeNunez, who’s a cool kid, and it's awesome to note that he's played by the same child actor who played Fool in Wes Cravens 1991 picture "The People Under the Stairs". A personal favorite team member of mine is a boy who’s lovingly referred to by the group as `Yeah-Yeah'. Aside from being a delight every time he’s on screen, the kid always reminded me of one of my own childhood cosines, who looked and acted just like him in every sense. In fact, I remember asking my cosine multiple times if they were related, as it was uncanny just how similar they were. Then there’s two brothers named Timmy and Tommy, and their only shtick is that the youngest always repeats everything the elder brother says. My least favorite of the group is a tall boy named Grover, who’s … well … just a really tall kid, and that’s it.

  At last, it’s worth noting that unlike every other children’s sports movie of the time, this team didn’t have a token girl member.

Despite this, I think the film can appeal to female viewers just as much as it appeals to boys, because in the end, it's still about close friends coming together, which anyone can relate to. In fact, my sister loves this movie just as much as I do, and the lack of a girl presence never bothered her. While it certainly doesn’t hurt the movie, I still would have also liked to see what the film would have done to make a girl member stand apart from a conventional trope, the same way both the fat kid, and Geek kid in this movie stand out as memorable characters. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if that direct to video squeal was made just for the satisfaction of including a girl on the team. PS ... I didn't like that squeal at all ... I'll leave it that. 

  Also, there's a strong supporting cast of A-list adult actors, who likewise add to the films appeal.

It’s funny the amount of times I watched this movie as a kid, and I never once noticed that the mother was played by Karen Allen … also known as Indiana Jones love interest Marion from “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Despite no-longer being a bomb-shell, she makes up for it by breathing a lot of life into the role of an all loving and encouraging mother. Denis Leary is also perfectly cast as Smalls step-father named Bill. Despite being a genuinely nice guy, Denis Leary has this restrained sense of intimidation, which is fitting for a step-dad. However, the actor who completely steals the show by far is James Earl Jones as the elusive neighbor Mr. Mertle, who secretly loves Baseball just as much as Benny. From “Field of Dreams”, to “Conan the Barbarian”, to a number of Tom Clancy adapted books-to-movies, to various voice acting roles … James Earl Jones is always a winning talent, and despite only being on screen for a few minuets … this is arguably my favorite performance of his whole career. "George signed this ... I take it back, your not in trouble ... your dead where you stand!" He is just so infectiously lovable in this film, and he plays it as if this is the role he’s wanted his whole life.     

  Another charm to the film is it’s early 1960’s setting, which gives the movie an almost timeless quality. Had it been set at the time of its release, it would probably feel very dated, but the early 60’s setting gave it an extra nostalgia stamp for all the adults who grew up during that time. It also helps in retrospective, as looking back on “The Sandlot” … it just doesn’t feel like another cliched 90’s sports movie, like so many others of its time. Also, the film is set during a time when Baseball was the definitive all-American sporting event without question, and for me, it cares over into “The Sandlot”, making it feel like an all-American classic. In fact, this is one of my favorite movies to annually watch on Independence Day. Add on to that, there’s a great little scene set during the 4^th of July celebration (appropriately matched with Ray Charles “America the Beautiful”), in which the kids have a night game, but are distracted by all the bright colors exploding in the night sky … that is with the exception of Benny, who just keeps running in the background. It’s a great moment, one that defines Benny’s character as one who lives for Baseball, and for whatever reason … whenever the 4^th of July comes around, I always think of this scene.

  Again, the greatest strength of “The Sandlot” is just experiencing all the little moments, and it’s refreshing for a sports movie from it’s time to break away from the repetitive formula of just about every other sports movie. While there are some exceptions, like 1989’s “Field of Dreams”, the majority of sports films follow a team of losers, who through a series of training and montages work their way to winning the championship. “The Sandlot” all but ignores the formula in favor of something unique, although there is a short section of the film in which they do face a rival team. It’s short, doesn’t become the focus of the film, and dose lead to some of the movies most quotable lines … “If my dog was as ugly as you, I’d shave his butt, and tell him to walk backwards.” 
       

  Despite being branded as a sports movie, “The Sandlot” can just as easily be categorized first and foremost as a Comedy. I distinctly remember watching this film as a kid and referring to it as one of the funniest movies I ever saw, and even looking back as an adult, I still get a big belly laugh from watching this film.

 

For me, the most important thing about a funny sequence is the lengthy build-up to the punch line, and this film does a damn good job building-up the joke before it hits. A perfect example is the swimming pool sequence, in which the boy Squints fakes drowning in the deep-end, just so he could score a kiss with the overly-attractive life-guard. The concept is amusing enough on its own, but what really sells the hummer is how it slowly builds and builds … and then just before making his move, there’s a brief moment when Squints breaks his acting, and shoots a cocky smirk at his friends. That simple exchange alone, paired with his friends bewildering reaction cracks me up before the joke even happened. Also, just as a side note, this scene closes with one of the boys saying “oh man, he’s in deep shit” … which as a kid was my introduction to that particular swear word. I’d never heard it before, but I certainly wouldn’t forget it afterword’s, because repeating said word got me in a lot of trouble with my parents.

  The absolute funniest scene in the movie by far has got to be the carnival scene, which still cracks my up to this day. Sense the kids idolized Babe Ruth, they felt the need to emulate everything that he and other sports stars are known to do … one of which is chewing Tabaco. So, during a celebration at a carnival, they decide to show-off by opening a bag of Tabaco, unaware that Chaw and Fair Rides don't mix at all. Again, the reason the hummer works so well is all due to the build-up. The kids are overly cocky, ignorant, and despite that sudden burst of adrenaline and flavor … we gradually see the Tabaco take effect on the kids while on a spinning ride. The subtle shift from relentless cheering, to pale-face stomach turning is priceless, and the payoff is great. At the time, this was the most over-the-top vomiting scene I’d ever viewed on film … until it was upstaged by “Stand by Me”. Despite the gross-out imagery of gunk accidentally hitting people on ground level, what really sells this scene are the over-blown sound designs paired with the kid’s reactions. Also, the incorporation of the song “Tequila” by The Champs was brilliant, and now I can never listen to that song without thinking of this scene. Aside from being funny as hell, this scene also serves as a great drug PSA for kids, and why they should stay away from such things.     
          

  Now, for all the joyful and funny moments in “The Sandlot”, it also wasn’t without some scary highlights too … which brings us to the Urban legend surrounding the mysterious dog, so lovingly referred to as … The Beast. When I first watched this movie as a little kid, the very first thing that drew my interest was the built-up mystery and danger revolving around this dog, and the more we caught little glimpses of it, the more excited I got. I distinctly remember getting chills at this one moment when one of the kids looks over at the boarded-up fence, and we see the silhouette of the dog’s shadow … and it almost resembles a T-Rex, which was awesome.

One night when telling stories at a sleepover, one of the kids tells the legend of the Beast, how the origin of this intimidating dog took shape, and that it might have been responsible for the death of hundreds … including a little kid. As he tells the tale, the movie suddenly materializes into a choppy, black and white flashback, with creature effects that look like they came from out of the 1940’s, and stock-cliché robbers with stripes and masks. Despite it’s cheap aesthetic and goofy tone, this scene genuinely boasts an eerie atmosphere, and the boys voice adds some intimidation to the story’s context. Of course, we all get a big laugh from the over emphasized … “Keep the dog locked-up until … FOR-EV-ER”. Yet for me, the real highlight is what follows just after the tale concludes. Smalls doesn’t believe in the story, which results in the other kids forcing him to look out their tree-house window, and into the ruined backyard where the beast dwells. Even though nothing physically appears on screen, I’ll never forget that frightening tracking-shot through the trashed yard, which picks up rapidly in speed, with the music and sound design building, and reaching back to the boys terrified reaction of something dangerous down there. It was all around an effectively spooky moment, and a great way to close a night of creepy tales. 

 

   A running problem the boy’s face is accidentally hitting their baseballs into the backyard of the Beast. At first, it’s just a bunch of minor inconvenience, but then things get dead serious one day when Smalls accidentally knocks his dads prized trophy-ball signed by Babe Ruth into the Beasts den. With Smalls in danger of getting smacked down by his unpredictable step-dad, and the boys being devoted fans of Babe Ruth, they all unite in a pledge to retrieve that baseball no matter the odds.

This culminates into one of my favorite sequences of any child-hood movie I grew up with … which is watching the trails of these kids as they utilize different methods of retrieving that ball. It’s kind of in spirit with the classic road-runner cartoons, as it’s all about executing various schemes to get one prize, and yet the plans keep blowing-up in their face … sometimes literally.

I love the progression of their schemes, as they start as basic as using a pan to the retrieve the ball, and eventually their plans keep escalating to the point when one of the kids is leeward down into the Beast layer. My favorite of their failed plans by far is when they hook-up three vacuums in an effort to suck the ball-up into their tree-house. This plan backfires so bad that … after the Beast pinches the pipes, the kids need to make a quick retreat before their tree-house explodes … which was both a deeply thrilling and thoroughly hilarious sequence. It almost made me jealous watching this as a kid, because for all the excitement my friends and I would have over the summer, we never experienced anything as thrilling as escaping a blown-up tree-house.  

  After many failed efforts, the lead boy Benny gets a sudden confidence boost in a dream, in which he’s visited by none other than the ghost of Babe Ruth. He conveys to Benny a very humble and wise speech about the opportunities that lay in front of him, that he should find the courage to do what no-one else will, and that he should take the chance to make something of himself.

Inspirational Sport’s movie speeches are a dime a dozen, and there have been countless inspiring monologues in sports films ranging from “Mirical” to “Any Given Sunday”, but for some reason, Babe Ruth’s little speech to Benny has always stuck with me as one of my personal favorites. “Just remember this … there’s hero’s and there’s legends … hero’s get remembered … but legends never die … fallow your heart kid … and you’ll never go wrong”. I love that Ruth is very straight forward with him during this talk, and never goes too preachy with his delivery. Art LaFleur plays Babe Ruth in this scene, and delivers a charming performance. Also, I always liked this little detail of him admiring a baseball card of Hank Aaron, as it makes the scene feel all the more real. As we lead into the climax, we see Benny slip into a new pair of PF Flyers, and he gently tucks his old shoes away in the shoe box, as if he’s paying his final respects to his childhood, and beginning his first steps as an adult. This is further emphasized when we finally see the Beast as a regular Bull-Mastiff, as opposed to all the previous glimpses we’d seen of the dog. Sense this story was being viewed from a child’s perspective, all previous glimpses of the Beast depicted him as an over evacuated monster dog, but now that Benny is becoming an adult in this moment, he’s able to see the dog for what it really is.

  Now, we get our thrilling final confrontation, in which Benny hops the fence, and faces the Beast mono-E-mono. The two stare each-other down in a moment that’s shot, edited and scored like a classic Spaghetti-Western. In fact, the music cues feel eerily similar to Ennio Morricone’s score from “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly”. 

This little stare-down between Benny and the Beast is one of my favorite little movie moments ever, as the editing on display is beautiful, and I love all the little details. The way the music builds, the sound of Benny cracking his finger muscles, and with the striking sound of a whip … Benny just bolts after his target. This leads into one of my favorite foot-chases ever put to film, as Benny with the Ball in hand runs all across their small community, with the ever-persistent Beast at his heals the whole time. The chase actually works as a nice recap of all the locations the kids visit over their Summer break. It’s also hilarious how the dog is presented as this unstoppable machine, as it relentlessly jumps through glass windows, and tares through fences. This chase is also inter-cut with footage of 1941’s “The Wolf-Man”, which is being viewed in an auditorium that will eventually be crashed by Benny and the Beast. This marked my personal introduction to “The Wolf-Man”, making it my first glimpse into a larger world of classic monster movies. Still to this day, I can never watch “The Wolf-Man” without thinking of this scene from “The Sandlot”.

  After all the excitement, the kids end-up rescuing the Beast from a toppled fence, and afterword’s adopt the dog as their team mascot, which I’ve always loved. There’s just something special about having an animal that once scared and threatened the kids suddenly become their loving companion. We then get this … admittedly cheesy … yet still warmly uplifting sendoff for all the kids as they quietly fade out of the picture, while the narrator fills us in on what happened in their lives. Maybe it’s overly sentimental, but I love it … as if it’s the cheerful version of the ending from “Stand By Me”. We then get a quick glimpse of both Smalls and Benny as grown adults, each connected to their favorite sport, and both fondly looking back on the memories they made that Summer. I don’t know why, but this ending always gets me a little choked-up inside. 
  

  In the end, “The Sandlot” was easily one of my favorite childhood movies, … and it’s still one of my all-time favorites all these years later. It’s arguably one of the most purely nostalgic movies ever made … perhaps overly nostalgic … but that’s what makes it special. It is admittedly a cheesy movie, so the experience overall can either make you cringe … or if you choose to embrace the cheesy elements as a charm, it could make you feel all warm and cozy inside.

For me, it’s unmistakably the later, because while I freely admit that the film has no restraint with how silly it can get … I still wouldn’t have it any other way. Whether you’re a sports guy or not, I think the majority of viewers can find something to connect to. Watching this film is like looking through a window to the past, as it allows you to reflect on a time when you, and your friends would play games, get into trouble, and go on your own little adventures that the adults are completely oblivious too. Then finally, you can relate to being an adult looking at old photos of that wonderful time you had with your pals. It’s such a sweet and wholesome film with lots of excitement, big laughs, quotable lines of dialog, memorable scenes, and I just feel so touched by it every time. I may not be one for sports movies … Baseball least of all … but “The Sandlot” remains an all-American classic, and one of my personal all-time favorites.

Thanks for reading my review of the 1993 sports comedy “The Sandlot” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!   

   

The Prince of Egypt (1998) (Movie Review)

     It’s the Easter season, the one time of year that Biblical themed movies get the most shine, and as for the occasion, I felt it was time to review my personal favorite of the genera. Now, I’ve highlighted epic's like “The Passion of the Christ” and “Ben-Hur” many times before, and are objectively the greatest when it comes to Biblical themed movies, but when it comes to my own personal favorite that I love re-watching the most … it’s a little animated musical from 1998 titled “The Prince of Egypt”. 

This was a the first traditionally hand drawn effort from DreamWorks animation, and they wanted to separate themselves from the fairy-tales of Disney, by focusing on tales of legend and lore. Thus, it was decided that the story of Moses would be the launching vehicle for their 2D enterprise. Now, movie adaptions of the Book of Exodus have been around for years, with the most famous being Cecil B DeMille’s 1956 classic “The Ten Commandments”. While “The Prince of Egypt” remains in its mighty shadow, it is never the less regarded as a minor classic in its own right, and one of the superior Biblical movies of the genera. For it’s time, it was the highest crossing, non-Disney animated picture, and has a devoted fan base years later, with many citing it as an underrated classic that deserves more recognition. While not a house-hold name like most Disney movies, it's still fairly well-known two decades later. In fact, 2017 marked the primer of a live Broadway musical based on the animated film, which is no small accomplishment, and the play itself was awesome.     

      While not a direct re-telling from the Book of Exodus, “The Prince of Egypt” had a number of Religious advisers when writing the screen play to insure it maintains the spirit of the source, while telling a familiar story from a different perspective, and making sure that it can appeal to a young audience. Not an easy task to pull off, but everyone involved clearly put all their soul, blood, sweat and tears into this project, to make the absolute best film … one that could appeal to both kids and adults in equal measure. Following the brotherhood of Prince Moses and Prince Rameses, we see the two grew up as best friends, always getting each-other into trouble, and being there for one-another when their mischief goes to far. One fateful night, Moses leans that he’s a Hebrew, who are all currently enslaved by the Egyptians. With his world turned upside-down, Moses begins to view the slaves differently. After coming to a slave’s aid, he accidentally kills an Egyptian, and flees the kingdom. Time passes, and Moses finds himself living contently as a farmer, and has married a young Hebrew woman named Tzipporah. One day, Moses is visited by God himself, and instructed to set his people free from the land of Egypt. The task is challenging enough for one man, but the real struggle is confronting his brother Rameses, who’s now crowned Pharaoh. Thus, the battle is on between these two brothers, with the fate of the Hebrew people in the balance.    

     One of the best things about this movie is that it plays with typical character tropes, and gives us people that are more relatable. Moses is commonly depicted as someone larger than life, whereas this movie scales him down as an every-man, with a larger than life responsibility on his shoulders. There’s great wisdom and kindness conveyed through the character, but also a human sense of regret and uncertainty. His arc is also a rich one, as we see him go from self-centered Prince, to a leader putting the needs of others before himself. At the center of this portrayal is vocal talent Val Kilmer, who is outstanding in the role. He really challenges that perfect mix of a holly man doing God’s will, while also conveying a sense that he’s just a regular guy, trying to accomplish something greater than himself. Val Kilmer also provides the voice of God, which was a brilliant idea. Just a quick background on myself, I grew-up attending a Catholic school, and one lesson that always stuck with me as a kid was that our conscious can be interpreted as God speaking to you through your own voice. Sense both Moses and God are speaking with the same voice, I always interpreted the scene with the burning bush as Moses’s very conscious taking on an astral form through the spirit of the Lord. Also, the sequence with the burning bush is one of my favorite individual scenes captured in animation. The atmosphere, the passing, the visuals, and even the portrayal of God were all masterfully conveyed. I love the delicate balance of how God is depicted as both loving and caring, but also mighty and triumphant.          

   Now, it’s one thing to have a relatable hero … but what about a tyrannical villain, surly this movie can’t make us identify with someone like that. Well, guise what … Rameses is anything but a one-note tyrant in this film. Traditionally, Rameses is depicted as a cold-hearted ruler without a trace of morality. This film however takes the ruthless depiction of Rameses, and likewise adds some human layers to the character, which make him all the more compelling. In essence, he’s the tragic victim of his own story, like a tortured soul who has great love for his brother, but is dominated by the psychological grip of his family dynasty. He’s still just as ruthless, intimidating and unforgiving in his actions, but this film subtly shows the frail man under the crown who just wants his brother back. It makes the dynamic between Moses and Rameses all the richer as neither are a straight forward hero taking on a straight forward villain, and it’s undeniably what carries the emotional weight of the film. Ralph Fiennes voices Rameses, and while the actor will always be associated with his portrayal of Voldemort in the “Harry Potter” movies, I think this is his second best portrayal of a villain in film … it would have been his first if not for his portrayal of the German Commandant Amon Göth in “Schindler's List”. Still, Ralph Fiennes hits every emotional beat of the character perfectly, as he ranges from sinister and heartless, to emotional and sympathetic.            

    Let’s talk about the side characters, and more specifically, this films insanely big round-up of celebrity voice actors. 

First we have Michelle Pfeiffer as Moses’s wife Tzipporah, who’s given a more prominent role then the character even had in the original “Ten Commandments” movie. This gave Michelle Pfeiffer great range of vocal acting, between being Moses’s loving and supportive wife, while also displaying the strength and tenacity to be a strong support to her husband’s cause. Sense Moses and Rameses are the two most prominent characters, it makes sense to have them voiced by big talents like Val Kilmer and Ralph Fiennes. Contrasting that are smaller roles like the Queen of Egypt voiced by Helen Mirren, or Moses’s father in law voiced by Danny Glover. Both are exceptional talents, but they only have a hand-full of lines, with the majority being sung by different singing talents all-together … so why get such high-profile actors? Famed comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short voice the two wicked high priests, and thankfully aren’t as over the top as they’ve been in other animated projects, but it once again begs the question … why cast them when not utilizing their traditional comedic talents. 

Sir Patrick Stewart is one of my favorite acting talents on the planet, and he too is given a minor role as the voice of the first Pharaoh of Egypt. Regardless, he is great at giving the commanding presence of a Pharaoh, and when compared to his other throw-away voice acting roles, this was arguably the most dignified animated production he’s been involved in. Sandra Bullock voices Moses’s sister Miriam, and is a far more credible casting choice, as her character is given a more significant role then most of the other side characters. Having said that, Jeff Goldblum is actually an inspired choice for Moses’s biological brother Aaron, and while the character isn’t given nearly as much attention as he did in the actual book of Exodus, Jeff Goldblum really nails the persona of the character without feeling like another quirky Jeff Goldblum caricature. Also, according to their IMDB pages, both Mel Brooks and Natalie Portman have un-credited vocal roles in the film, although I’ve never been able to single out their voices. The thought of Mel Brooks voice acting in this film amuses me to no end, especially sense he portrayed Moses in his comedy movie “The History of the World Part 1”. All around, the over-use of vocal talent’s may not be necessary, but then again, the story of Moses is a grand one that’s worthy of a star-struck cast, so it really doesn’t harm the film.

    Just as a quick side note, at the time of both this movie’s release and “The Mummy”, my little sister and I were living in the desert of Joshua Tree California, and as such, we loved watching movie’s set in desert landscapes, as it made us feel right at home.

As such, I’ve always loved the visual layout of “The Prince of Egypt”, but it was upon re-watching this movie as an adult that I really admired just how beautiful and breathtaking the animation is. Truthfully, I’d rank this as one of the all-time best looking 2D animated movies ever made. Egypt as portrayed in this film looks stunning, with detailed backgrounds, a lush color palette, and a sense of size and grandeur to the events depicted on screen. Even the 3D elements don’t feel so out of place when compared to other animated movies of its time. Epic isn’t a word that I’d commonly use to describe an animated children’s films, but this movie truly is epic in size, scale, visuals, and even emotional storytelling. There’s a number of lengthy scenes that are free of dialogue, yet still maintain all the emotion-rich character beats through the visuals. When Moses greets his wife after being visited by God, everything is conveyed through the character postures and movements, which is a great example of visual storytelling. Also, I think this movie might just have the best character expressions as portrayed by people in an animated production. Again, these characters convey so much through a simple look or expression, and when combined with the solid voice cast and a strong script, it makes these characters leap of the screen.

    There’s also a number of animated highlights that have always stuck with me as favorite moments. One such highlight is the dream sequence, which is perhaps one of the most artistically brilliant dreams I’ve ever seen on film. After Moses denies the truth of his heritage, he has a nightmare that shows in full detail his real origin, the horrific sins of his father’s past, and a secret that had been kept from him his whole life. 

What’s truly brilliant about this scene is how it’s displayed through hieroglyphics, and Egyptian style paintings. It’s all very artistic, but it also has a strong atmosphere, chilling musical score, dramatic elements and some incredible visual effects. It truly is one of my favorite dream sequences I’ve seen in a motion picture. Also, I give the movie credit for not sugar coating some of the darker details of the story. The harsh treatment of the Hebrews is on full display, and there’s even two acts of genocide, first from the Egyptians in the opening, and second from God’s tenth plague, which takes the lives of all the first born. The latter of which is one of the most chilling sequences I’ve ever seen in an animated film. It’s a sequence that’s done entirely in silence, with no music, just the chilling sounds of the plague passing through the village, and the sounds of the kids drawing their final breaths. Then the scene closes on this haunting wide-shot of Egypt, and softly in the distance we hear the sounds of crying and anguish. Thankfully, for as dark and as violent as the film gets, it never gets too dark in its depictions that kids can’t watch it.  

    Adding to the epic size and weight of the picture is Hans Zimmer’s sensational music score. He already had experience composing epic scores for children’s animation back when he did the music for “The Lion King”, but here in “The Prince of Egypt”, he really upped his game. It’s like he took the high notes from “The Lion King”, and combined them with acoustic's that complimented the Egyptian setting, as well as the religious themes. The result is a score that heightens the atmosphere, the beauty, the drama, the excitement and the wonder of the film. This score rightfully received a nomination at the Academy Awards for best original music, but lost to Stephen Warbeck’s score for “Shakespeare in Love”. While on the subject, I should probably highlight the individual songs. This movie came out at a time when every animated family film had to be a musical, and while the story of Moses doesn’t seem like something that would lend itself to the musical form … song writer Stephen Schwartz nailed it … nailed the shit out of it, because these songs are fantastic. He had just come off the high of writing some of my favorite songs for the Disney movies “Pocahontas” and “The Hunchback of Notredame”, and would go on to write the songs for the hit Broadway musical “Wicked”. As such, the songs in this film are high quality material.

    The opening “Deliver Us” is unlike any other intro song I’ve seen in an animated feature. It’s very harsh and adult, showcasing the struggles of the Hebrews under the wrath of the Egyptians. It’s fairly intense, but highlights just how grand, emotional, and epic in scale the picture is going to be. 

It also demonstrates what musicals do best, which is telling a story in musical form. It’s easily one of my favorite openings to any animated feature, and I feel like it could have been an Oscar winning short film separated from the rest of the movie. My absolute favorite song in the whole picture is “The Plagues”, which showcases the wrath of God when the 10 Plagues are brought down upon the Egyptians for their cruelty. Again, this musical number doesn’t feel like your average children’s animated picture, as it contains some haunting imagery, breathtaking visuals, a mighty orchestra, and further highlights the conflicts between our hero and villain. 

The film is also quite mature with other songs that are more traditional for animated family pictures. “Through Heavens Eyes” highlights life from the Hebrew perspective, and it does so without feeling preachy. “Playing with the Big Boys” is the obvious villain song, and while it feels out of place, like a traditional kid-friendly song number, it still boasts some intensity, and has some catchy lyrics. “All I Ever Wanted” puts a new spin on the protagonist’s solo song, as it’s conveyed through inner thought, and showcases the growing confusion in the heart of Moses. However, the big one is the Oscar winning original song “When you Believe”, and … yeah, after all these years, this song never fails to deliver an emotional punch. While the placement of the song in the movie is a little abrupt, it still leads to one of the movies most powerful moments. It's through this song that the films message is conveyed, that people can accomplish great deeds when they hope ... or have strong faith. It's also a nice touch that the song contains a chant sung in the Hebrew langue. All in all, this collection of songs has a secure spot among my top five favorite soundtracks of any animated musical.      

    At the end, we get the climactic parting of the Red Sea, and no surprise … it’s yet another visually awe-inspiring moment.

I also love how subtle and quiet this ending is, as there’s less talking, and once again, it’s the humble character animation that really conveys everything we need. The film closes on Mount Sinai with Moses carrying Gods Ten Commandments, ending our story on a triumphant final note ... good thing too, because the Biblical story of Moses gets really dark around this point. As a Catholic myself, I feel the need to point out some select differences from this movie, and its source material. This film actually puts more focus on following the template of the 1956 classic movie “The 10 Commandments”, with select details like Baby Moses being rescued by the Pharaohs wife just like in the classic film, as opposed to in the Book of Exodus, in which he's rescued by the Pharaoh's doubter.  

However, unlike the original film, this movie completely ignores the darker details of what happened to the Hebrews after Moses lead them out of Egypt, like how the majority were turning against both Moses and God, and began to warship a Golden Calf, or that the non-faithful were killed-off, and that Moses could never enter the promised land he led his people to. Honestly, I don’t think any of that would have worked with the story they’re telling, and it certainly wouldn’t have flown in an animated picture primarily aimed at children. So, I don’t mind that the movie abruptly ended on that single shot of Moses on Mount Sinai, especially sense there was a bumper at the start of the movie stating that Artistic and Historical licensing were taken, yet the Essence, Values, and Integrity of the story remain in-tack. 

    This is a special case in which I firmly believe an animated picture surpassed what was required for its target audience. It was so much more than just an educational Bible themed movie for kids ... it was also a great story, with relatable drama, and human morals that are universal. Religious viewers are likely to take more away from the experience, and yet, I still feel there’s more than enough substance to leave an impression on a wider audience. Speaking personally, “The Prince of Egypt” is one of those animated pictures that just seems to combine everything I love in one perfectly packaged experience. It’s a timeless biblical epic, brought to life on a grand and beautifully animated scale, with a compelling hero villain relationship at the center, a strong voice cast at the helm, dignified religious subtext that doesn’t come off as preachy, and it even boasts some stellar musical numbers. While I’m sure many view this film as that one good animated picture that came and left, it’s never the less stuck with me as an absolute favorite, and in my view … it’s a masterwork, worthy to be cited along with the greatest of what traditional 2D animation has to offer.

Thanks for reading my review of DreamWorks 1998 hit “The Prince of Egypt” … and continue to enjoy the movies you love.