The Prince of Egypt Review!

Alright! Today I'm reviewing DreamWorks' second and greatest film The Prince of Egypt, an animated take on the Book of Exodus that features Moses and his divine quest to free the Hebrews from Egyptian rule. Right out of the gate this film obtains three major titles - Best Interpretation of Moses, Best Religious Film, and Greatest DreamWorks Flick. Shoot, I'd even consider Best Animated Feature an honor that Prince takes. 

Like all children-oriented animated works that feature the topics of genocide, slavery, free choice, and religion, the film immediately gains the audience's attention. However, while I typically roll my eyes at movies "somehow" getting away with things (Given that that incredulity is directed at anything mildly adult in kid's content), but this is an example where one does begin to question who they made the movie for. The movie starts off with a grueling depiction of slavery rife with whippings, baby murder, and discouraged people singing about how God has abandoned them. 

The opening number is grounded by Ofra Haza's (Voicing Yocheved) absolute powerhouse part in "Deliver Us." One can actually feel the grief and anguish this mother feels over the potential slaughter of her baby, crafting a truly despicable situation where launching the baby in a basket down the Nile seems reasonable. It's enough to make a grown man cry, and that's okay. 

The musical aspect of the film doesn't peak here - every single film in the song is an absolute banger, all beautifully written by Stephen Schwartz (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Enchanted) and arranged by Hans Zimmer (Rain Man, The Lion King, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Kung Fu Panda, Inception, Interstellar, DUNC, The Boss Baby), who also composed the film's score. That being said, the film's score is absolutely fantastic, perfectly capturing the majesty and grace of a character like God while (At least in my mind) providing music that has become synonymous with spirituality and the tale of Moses in general. 

The music and art design are on point throughout the entire movie. Never before (And never again) will an animated movie reach the artistic heights of The Prince of Egypt. Luscious watercolors, hand-drawn animation, and the best-animated water ever put to film create one of the most visually striking movies of all time. The parting of the Red Sea is one of the most gorgeous scenes ever put to film, a true moment of artistic beauty. 

However, while the production work is all utterly pitch-perfect, the true admiration and respect I have for the movie comes from how it portrays God and the biblical figures. While it's not enough to make it in the Islam-state countries (Because a Moses movie not depicting Moses would be admittedly hard), the film treats all faiths, all people, every character with such reverence and respect that it sets the standard for the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic ideal. 

You see, while it is a religious story, the movie itself never comes off as preachy like a lot of Christian media does. It's not a story about struggling with faith - every single character has faith in a deity and that faith is more often than not unwavering. And not every major miracle is accompanied by The Ten Commandment's "Praise be to God" rhetoric, they stand on their own within the context of the story.

The true conflict of the story comes from the relationship between Rameses II and Moses, the leaders of their respective peoples who are ideologically opposed. By focusing more on that relationship than one with God, the movie is more accessible to all audiences and the wonder of the miracles becomes even more miraculous. By framing the power of God as the physical representation of their conflict, the movie is able to work on several levels other than spiritual (But it never forgets that it is a biblical tale.

However, the movie’s strongest moments are still the ones rooted in faith - Moses at the Burning Bush is a powerful moment and one of the film’s best, “The Plagues” is dramatic and vengeful by design, and the parting of the Red Sea is one of the greatest showstoppers in the history of cinema. The entire movie feels large and epic - this is practically the animated equivalent to DUNC’s scale. 

All of this is, of course, anchored in the gorgeous animation and Zimmer’s absolutely fantastic score. The instrumentation in every single song feels cinematic, a thousand times more epic than several big-budget blockbusters made today. Kudos to the actors (A star-studded cast cast to perfection including Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Sandra Bullock) who got to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime movie.

Words cannot describe my deep respect and admiration for The Prince of Egypt in terms of religious, secular, animation, thematic, musical, or cinematic appeal. It’s a masterpiece. 

Overall, I give The Prince of Egypt a 10/10. “Splendid animation, top-notch storytelling, and beautifully scored, The Prince of Egypt is one for the ages.”