The Star – Wonderful Animation And Impeccable Plot – A Great Holiday Starter
In Sony Pictures Animation’s The Star, a small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a lovable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told – the first Christmas. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Samantha M. comments, “This incredible animated film had me laughing the entire time. On top of that, there are so many talking animals, ranging from horses to sheep and even dogs.” Dariana A. adds, “This film gives a modern twist to the biblical story of Jesus’ birth which makes it very interesting and keeps you at the edge of your seat. It also has a lot of comedy and funny jokes.” See their full reviews below.
The Star
By Samantha M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 18
This incredible animated film had me laughing the entire ti
me. On top of that, there are so many talking animals, ranging from horses to sheep and even dogs. I love dogs immensely, so seeing them talk kept my eyes peeled the entire time. Along with the talking animals comes an impeccable plot, so I promise that you’ll never be bored.
When a donkey named Bo breaks free from the local village mill, he joins his friend, Dave the Dove, on the trip of a lifetime. On their journey to Bethlehem, they find a lovable sheep named Ruth and they all work together to keep Joseph and Mary safe. In doing so, they encounter numerous obstacles, such as fighting wild dogs and protecting Mary from being stabbed. This film is undoubtedly unique, because it tells the story of the First Christmas from an animal’s perspective. Watch Bo and his friends discover the true meaning of the First Christmas, by following the bright star in the sky, which ultimately guides them through all of their encounters.
Steven Yeun, who plays Bo the Donkey, is hands down my favorite character. He is optimistic and truly cares about the well-being of others. Even though Joseph tells Bo to leave him and Mary alone, Bo will not stop until he ensures that Mary can safely birth her son. Gina Rodriguez, who plays Mary, is such a sweet woman. She truly cares for Bo and, while her husband Joseph doesn’t want Bo around, Mary will never let Bo down. Zachary Levi, who plays Joseph, is an exceptional example of a husband. He never lets Mary down, comforts her when she’s upset and will do absolutely anything to make her happy. He travels for miles to find a place for their son Jesus to be born and remains calm the entire time. I applaud him for his great patience. 
The animation in this film is adorable. Bo the donkey is the cutest donkey I have ever seen. He has big eyes and, whenever he makes a mistake, you have to forgive him, because he doesn’t mean any harm. Each character looks dramatically different. It’s great to see such diversity in the film. All of the characters respect one another, no matter their backgrounds or appearances, which is a concept that should directly be applied to human interaction.
My favorite part is when Bo and Ruth are trying to warn Joseph and Mary of the bad guys. The audience knows the animals can talk, but Joseph and Mary don’t, which makes it even funnier. All Joseph and Mary can hear is screaming animals and they see Bo and Ruth running around in circles, pretending to act as vicious, wild dogs.
The message of the film is to appreciate the meaning of the First Christmas. Before watching this film, I was unaware of the history behind it, but I am so glad I watched it, because it changes your entire perspective on Christmas. In addition, the film focuses on working together, never giving up on each other and always treat others kindly, even if they don’t treat you that way. There is no reason to ever be mean to anyone and all of these animals are so kind to each other. If animals can do it, so can humans.
I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18. It is the perfect film to watch this upcoming holiday season with family and friends. This film opens November 17, 2017 in your local theater, so go check it out. There is no better way to kick off the holiday season than by watching a film about why we celebrate the Christmas holiday.
The Star
By Dariana A., KIDS FIRST Film Critics, age 11
The Star is an amazing movie! It has some stunning animation and graphics. I could see every single hair on the animals. It also has a marvelous plot based on true events. This film gives a modern twist to the biblical story of Jesus’ birth which makes it very interesting and keeps you at the edge of your seat. It also has a lot of comedy and funny jokes.
The Star is the story of Jesus’ birth and the journey of all the animals in the famous nativity scene. Bo, a donkey, escapes the mill he was in and hid in Mary’s house. Bo discovers that there is an evil king who wants to kill Mary, so he follows Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to protect them.
One of the things I love about The Star is the great music (thanks to John Paesano) and its amazing artists, from Mariah Carey and Kelsea Ballerini, to Fifth Harmony and Pentatonix. I found a bunch of wonderful new Christmas songs in this movie and they are all so awesome. I also love the stunning animation. When Bo first goes outside of the millers, it had been a while since he had been outside. So when he did, you can see his pupils dilate. That shows the amount of attention to detail the animators made. This film makes this biblical story more interesting for kids, with a lot of action and engagement. It is also very funny. They crack a lot of jokes that made the whole audience laugh. My favorite scene is when Joseph tries to put a harness on Bo and Joseph keeps falling off.
The message of this film is that friendship is worth fighting for and, even if someone doesn’t know that they need it, you should still help them. I recommend this film for ages 5 to 12 because it really is a great family movie and will teach kids a little more about the history of Christmas and Jesus’ birth in a fun way. I give this film 4 out of 5 stars for it stunning animation, modern plot and amazing new music. This film opens November 17, 2017 so be sure to check it out.
