Spirit - Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
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69% of critics liked it
(126 reviews) -
72% of users liked it
(57,716 ratings)
Screenwriter John Fusco returns to the Western themes of his previous films Young Guns and Thunderheart with this animated children's adventure from Dreamworks. Matt Damon supplies the voice of Spirit, a wild Mustang stallion living free in the Old West of the late 19th century, where he's… More Screenwriter John Fusco returns to the Western themes of his previous films Young Guns and Thunderheart with this animated children's adventure from Dreamworks. Matt Damon supplies the voice of Spirit, a wild Mustang stallion living free in the Old West of the late 19th century, where he's captured by human horse traders and sold to a cavalry regiment at a frontier outpost. There, a cruel colonel (voice of James Cromwell) nearly succeeds in breaking the willful horse, but not quite. Spirit escapes in the company of another captive, Little Creek (voice of Daniel Studi), a Native American youth that tries to possess the magnificent animal by more humane means, but Spirit refuses to bend to human will even when he makes the acquaintance of Little Creek's beautiful and fiercely loyal mare, Rain. After he saves Little Creek's life in an Army raid, Spirit believes that the gravely injured Rain has perished after a tumble over a waterfall. Despondent, the horse is captured again by humans, enslaved this time for work in a pack team on the transcontinental railroad. Undaunted by the tragedies that befall him, Spirit manages to escape for a reunion with Little Creek, Rain, and his long-lost brethren. Featuring songs by rock singer Bryan Adams, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron departs from other examples of its genre in that the horse protagonists do not speak or sing; only Spirit's voice is heard as voice-over narration. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- Kelly Asbury, Lorna Cook
- Written By
- John Fusco
- Genres
- Drama, Animation, Kids & Family
- In Theaters
- May 24, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- DreamWorks SKG
Critic Reviews
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Todd McCarthy, Variety
There's nothing thrilling or new about the work here, but accomplished it is.
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Michael Booth, Denver Post
Spirit is smarter than your average cartoon because it doesn't try to joke around with a host of annoying talking animals.
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Derek Adams, Time Out
There's not much of a story, the whole thing's a bit superficial, and there's little to laugh at, but it's still a refreshing change from the norm.
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Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
An exciting and exquisitely rendered film in which the horse goes through as many adventures and perils as Indiana Jones on a good day.
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Loren King, Chicago Tribune
A welcome family film that extols noble values and offers first-class animation.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Matt Damon
as Spirit
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James Cromwell
as The Colonel
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Daniel Studi
as Little Creek
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Donald Fullilove
as Train Pull Foreman
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Michael Horse
as Little Creek's Friends
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Richard McGonagle
as Bill
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Charles Napier
as Roy
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Robert Cait
as Jake
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Chopper Bernet
as Sgt. Adams
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Jeff LeBeau
as Railroad Foreman/Murphy
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Matt Levin
as Joe
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Zahn McClarnon
as Little Creek's Friends
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Adam Paul
as Pete
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John Rubano
as Soldier
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Meredith Wells
as Little Indian Girl



