For Spirit Untamed—out now on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital formats—Lucky Prescott could not be a better moniker for the lead character in an animated movie about a young girl whose life turns upside down when she connects with the titular wild stallion. In fact, there is a whole lot going on in her world when she first sees Spirit and his herd from the train that is taking her “home.”
See, Lucky hasn’t been around her father Jim Prescott (Jake Gyllenhaal) since he sent her to live with her Aunt Cora (Julianne Moore) and their father in the big city. As a baby, she and Jim witnessed her mother perish by falling off a horse doing what she loved during an old west rodeo show. After causing a ruckus as her grandfather was set to announce his run for governor, grandpa sends her and Aunt Cora back to Jim to live with him for the summer. This, after a decade away.
I know what you’re thinking, given all that happened to her, how is Lucky lucky? As a firm believer in the idea that we make our own luck, Isabela Merced (who played Dora herself in Dora and the Lost City of Gold) voices her impeccably. She is firmly a character who doesn’t take too kindly being told “no.” Worse still, her patience for those who do not follow the rules or blatantly ignore them is slim.
It all adds up to a character who is an incredible role model for the millions of girls who will inhale this feature film that centers around the beloved animated horse. There has been a television show and films devoted to him before. Never have they had the resonance of Spirit Untamed. It is not solely the Lucky character and everything she embodies, but the story itself and the simultaneous life lessons it extols (without hitting you over the head with them) and the movingly powerful and action-packed adventure at its heart.
Kids are smart and finicky. It’s a tough combination for a filmmaker and the studio behind their effort. They’ve seen it all and thanks to everything from technology to forward-thinking parents, there is little room for pandering in their brains. These younger film fans know what they like and when they find that, it is treasured. Put it this way, we had a screener for the film to review for the weekend and my eight-year-old daughter managed to watch it multiple times. There can be no higher endorsement than that right there!
What unfolds in Spirit Untamed is fresh, exciting, and has many entry points for those fussy youthful audience members. Whether it’s the horse angle, the way the artists at DreamWorks Animation have drawn this old west landscape of Lucky and her friends and family, or simply the child of a similar age being the film’s focal point, there is much for them to latch onto and cherish.
Witnessing two concurrent friendships unfold when Lucky arrives in this small “old west” town is the heart that drives directors Elaine Bogan and Ennio Torresan’s film. There’s Spirit, and without even trying, a few local girls are also drawn to Lucky. She’s like that. People want to be a part of her world and that spirit she possesses is contagious.
Those two girls are Abigail Stone (Mckenna Grace), who is a little firecracker that knows a thing or two about horses and Pru Granger (Marsai Martin) is the daughter of the stable owner Al (Andre Braugher). The three swiftly form a connection that feels organic and endearing to those in the audience who share their age range, and particularly their gender. Honestly, one does not need to be a pre-tween to notice a beautiful friendship forming when we see one.
The other friendship, of course, is with Spirit. From that moment on the train when the horse and his herd race by, there’s a spark of a connection between Lucky and the title equine. This relationship also unfolds naturally. A wild stallion is a tough egg to crack. Watching Lucky with Spirit is such a stark contrast to what the horse has with Hendricks (Walton Goggins, recently seen in Fatman). The latter, and his wrangler pals, are devoid of feeling, which further contributes to Spirit responding to the heart that is clear Lucky possesses from the get-go.
Spirit Untamed is as much a father-daughter film as it is about girls and friendship or horses. Filmmakers were incredibly fortunate with the casting of a superstar and gifted thespian such as Gyllenhaal. Thing is, for the entire film to be as effective as it is, an Oscar nominee or like-caliber actor was needed to bring to life those father-daughter moments. Jim had his reasons for sending his daughter away as a baby and life has given him an unexpected second chance to be a dad. This too unfolds realistically.
Their relationship is complicated (especially as animated films go). It would have been easy for screenwriters John Fusco, Kristin Hahn, and Katherine Nolfi to overlook or look past that particular aspect of the film. They could have forged ahead, focusing solely on the human and horse bonds. Instead, they took the tougher road, and it pays off in an even stronger emotive tether between what is happening on the big screen and those sitting in the theater hanging on every moment.
Gyllenhaal and Merced deserve heaps of credit as well. We feel every bit of the awkwardness that is how things commence and as these two get a fresh start, both voice actors go that extra mile. Usually, animation finds performers recording their lines by themselves. It had to be the supreme of challenges to forge a connection with someone who was never in the same room. Good on them because it adds priceless layers to the entire Spirit Untamed experience.
The entire ensemble is sublime. There’s an all-star cast and there’s what Spirit: Untamed possesses. Gyllenhaal, Merced, Moore, Goggins, Grace, Martin, Braugher, and Eiza González (Baby Driver)—voices Milagro Navarro, Lucky’s late mom. Each must have read the script and immediately sought to be part of something special.
That’s what Untamed is in the end, something special.
There is a bevy of bonus features on the Spirit: Untamed Blu-ray. I’d recommend heading down the Finding Your Spirit rabbit hole first. This featurette explores the basics of the narrative, the importance of diversity onscreen and how representation matters. There’s even a few moments devoted to the animation process that’ll inspire some of the younger souls out there who have a flair for the arts.
Next up, dive into Behind the Voices—The Cast. Voice-over work used to be something reserved for “voice-over actors” beyond the headliners of an animated movie. That has changed in the last decade and now even smaller parts are inhabited by Oscar winners, such as Julianne Moore here. The stars not only share their methodology of voice-over work but also answer an interesting question about what characteristics they share with their onscreen personas. Included are Merced talking up Lucky, Marsai Martin (Prudence Granger), Goggins, Braugher, Gonzalez, Moore, Gyllenhaal, and several more.
Cowgirls Rule is a terrific featurette that talks about the female-centric nature of the tale and how that was such a huge part of the draw for many in the cast. As one member of the ensemble says, this is not simply a “girls like ponies” flick!
Speaking of those artistically inclined kiddos, you’re going to want to show them the Blu-ray extra Drawing Spirit. It features one of the film’s artists, Story Artist Wendy Sullivan, as she speaks to the process of animation and even offers her expert instruction on how to draw Lucky, Spirit, Abigail, Boomerang, Pru, and Chica Linda.
There’s a few, for lack of a better phrase, “how-to” featurettes that are always quite resonant for those younger viewers and those who love them! Create Your Own Indoor ‘Campfire’ will help you set the sitting around a campfire in the old west feel using crepe paper and LED lights. How to Ukulele is exactly as it sounds, but also takes it a step further. This featurette will instruct you how to make your own Ukulele! Then, there’s Snack Time-S’mores. Lucky and her pals enjoy some tasty treats in the film, so why not make them yourself? This “how-to” featurette will have you salivating for the finished product!
Abigail’s Hand Shadow Secrets unlocks the power that lies in each one of us to tell stories using hand shadows, just like Abigail does in Spirit Untamed. Using a hand shadow expert, this featurette was a delight as it approached the teaching aspect of doing hand shadows in a manner that was perfect for someone who is 8 or 88. How to Zoetrope is another featurette that is exactly what you would expect solely from its moniker. In the film, Lucky stumbles on her late mother’s horse riding gift via a zoetrope she discovers in her dad’s house. This extra teaches you not only how to work a Zoetrope, but also how to build one!
Lastly, on a subsequent viewing, you’re going to want to turn “on” that feature commentary track. It finds director Elaine Bogan, co-director Ennio Torresan and producer Karen Foster waxing poetic about their stunning film and exactly how it all came together.
Film Grade: A
Bonus Features: A