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    The Little Prince

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    I don’t think I’ve seen a film adaptation that’s ever been quite like “The Little Prince”. It works as a faithful version and in its own way as a spiritual successor. Whether you’ve been a fan since grade 3 or you’ve never heard of it before, I think you’ll be pleased with this animated picture.

    Left alone to study and prepare for the coming school year while her mother (voiced by Rachel MacAdams) is at work, a young girl (voiced by Mackenzie Foy) befriends their neighbour, an elderly aviator (voiced by Jeff Bridges) He tells her the story of “The Little Prince” in the hopes that his story will affect her as it did him.

    When I saw trailers for “The Little Prince”, two things caught my eye. The first is the visuals. It’s gorgeous. The wraparound utilizes CG animation, while stop-motion is used to bring “The Little Prince” novella to life. Some of the iconic segments, such as the introduction of the fox (voiced by James Franco) and the hero’s plane as it travels through the air are truly spectacular. There’s so much texture and dimension to these fantasy segments that it makes the 3D well worth it. The simplified look (well, simple compared to the highly detailed CG) helps convey the irony and paradoxes contained in the Prince’s adventures in a way that is much more effective than if live actors had been used (the Prince is voiced by newcomer Riley Osborne) It captures the magic of the watercolour illustrations of the book without simply copying them.

    What worried me was the wraparound. We’ll get to the story itself in a moment; first I want to address the visuals. I have noticed that a lot of CG animated films tend to look somewhat generic. There’s not longer a need to find a creative way to animate hair for example. You can just generate realistic hair. Somehow the numerous animators at work on “The Little Prince” have brought new life to a style of animation that I thought was tired. I can’t quite put my finger on it. It certainly has something to do with the art design, as there is a stark contrast between the “adult” world and the “child” world, but it’s more than that. The characters within look less like computer models and more like living clay modelled by the most talented sculptor in the world. The characters are warm; you feel like you could reach out and touch them. They’re much more than electronically created textures and shapes collected together. I’m at a loss for words and I’m sorry about that but I was so drawn into the story to the point where I wasn’t able to sit back and analyze what works so well about these images.

    Now we come to the story. I’m happy to say that it’s elegantly executed. The wraparound is it’s own tale that takes themes from the book and applies them to a different life and new characters. It feels very personal and helps you see how people have and will react to this manuscript being shown. I don’t want to say too much about “The Little Prince” itself. I feel that I would be doing you a disservice by explaining what adults will see within it’s pages vs. What children will. Some of the most impactful joys and biggest heartbreaks I’ve experienced because of “The Little Prince” weren’t due to the written material itself. They came from different people explaining to me what they drew from the characters and the ending of the story. When you plan your trip to see this Mark Osborne flick, set some time aside afterwards to discuss it. Take a half hour, or more to analyze the story and how it makes you feel. Not too much though, that would go somewhat against the message of the story.

    I only have one small gripe with this picture, it’s that there are some points in the beginning where it lacks subtlety. In a way it fits with the tone of the novel, but nonetheless. It bothered me enough that at first I was concerned for the overall quality of the picture. The feeling did pass so if you experience the same thing, don’t worry about it. I have a lot of admiration for this project. It’s a movie for the whole family that dares to not be funny. “The Little Prince” is a mature tale that’s appropriate for children who are beginning to understand the societal criticism found within and for the adults who will buy their ticket. It isn’t necessarily sad but it’s not trying to entertain you with pop culture references, weird animals bouncing around or silly dances set to fast-paced music. It’s a story of ideas and of a journey that we all have to take at some point.

    For fans of the book it’s well done and original. In no way does this betray Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved work and because it omits some parts (they’re alluded to but the protagonist of the film reads them during a montage so we don’t get to “see” them) you will still find surprises if you read it after you see it in the theatre. For families it will be a memorable experience. I think will bring everyone together if not by of the emotion contained within the film, by the discussions afterwards and the experience of seeing it together. If you’re an adult without any descendants, I say go see it too. It’s not juvenile at all. “The Little Prince” is mature, intelligent and a feast for the eyes. (3D Theatrical version on the big screen, March 17,2016)

    9
    HelpfulNot helpful  Reply
    adamwatchesmovies@  18.3.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

    Thank you for writing this. I love your reviews! That was very enjoyable to read and I wholeheartedly agree with you!

    HelpfulNot helpful Reply
    snowflake_16@  21.3.2016 age: 18-25 5 reviews

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