Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
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The story
Set in the Old West in the late 19th century, the film follows Spirit, a Kiger mustang stallion who is captured during the American Indian Wars by the United States Cavalry. After being captured, Spirit is taken to a cavalry fort where he is subjected to attempts to break his spirit. He eventually finds an unexpected bond with a Lakota man named Little Creek. Together, they navigate the dangers of the frontier as Spirit strives to remain free and return to his herd, while facing the constant threat of the pursuing soldiers.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1887, a mustang stallion named Spirit is captured by the U.S. Cavalry and taken to a fort. He refuses to be broken and is eventually rescued by a Lakota man, Little Creek. The two form a bond as they flee the soldiers. Spirit also meets a mare named Rain, and the two fall in love. During a confrontation with the cavalry, Rain is injured and falls into a river, and Spirit is captured again. He is forced to work on the transcontinental railroad, where he eventually escapes and frees other horses, causing a train crash. After a chase through the Grand Canyon, Spirit and Little Creek are finally left alone by the Colonel. Spirit eventually reunites with Rain and his herd, running free across the plains.
- First release year
- 2002
- Runtime (minutes)
- 83
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Kelly Asbury; Lorna Cook
- Writers
- John Fusco · writer
- Cast and characters
- Matt Damon · Spirit; James Cromwell · The Colonel; Daniel Studi · Little Creek; Chopper Bernet · Sgt. Adams; Jeff LeBeau · Murphy; Richard McGonagle · Bill; Matt Levin · Joe; Adam Paul · Pete
- Genres
- animated; Western; adventure
- Themes
- freedom; friendship; bravery
- Tone and mood
- epic; serious
- Premise and plot tags
- animal protagonist; historical; western
- Franchise connections
- Spirit
- Content notes
- animal cruelty
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was noted for its visual quality and emotional depth.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 69% · scale: percentage · review count: 127; Metacritic · score: 52 · scale: 100 · review count: 29
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Animated Feature · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film uses a blend of traditional and computer animation.; The character of Rain was the first animated horse to receive an honorary registration certificate from the American Paint Horse Association.; The film's music was composed by Bryan Adams and Hans Zimmer.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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