"The Star"** 1\2 (out of ****)
Let "The Star" (2017) guide you to the true meaning of Christmas.
It seems to me Hollywood has run out of ideas in regards to Christmas movies. A lot of popular Christmas movies made in the 1980s & 90s are secular in nature. The movies revolve around Santa Claus and young children eager to see if they will receive their favorite toys from Ol' Saint Nick. In the old days (1950s & 60s) Hollywood would make epic religious blockbusters, which some people still watch on Christmas and Easter.
But in modern times "Christmas movies" have become romantic comedies (?) which take place in the month of December and air on the Hallmark Channel. They all mostly revolve around single 30 something year old women looking to find love. Then there are the "Christmas movies" that center on the difficulties of dealing with family around the holidays and the pressures of traveling.
Neither of these scenarios scream Christmas to me. Christmas movies shouldn't be about commercialism, finding a boyfriend, or hating to spend time with your family. To me a Christmas movie should be sincere but make you feel good. It should be about expressing good will toward your fellow man. It should be about embracing your family and loved ones. It should have characters wanting to become better people. And, if you are in a religious mood, it should be about the birth of Jesus Christ.
That brings us to the animated movie, "The Star", a well intended but ultimately flat, Christian themed movie devised to introduce children to the true meaning of the holiday.
In order to appeal to children "The Star" advances its religious theme with a light touch. It features talking animals and has plenty of silly, slapstick humor. Children won't feel as if they are going to church but will learn a bit about religion.
To me this is bit like having your cake and eating it. I admire what "The Star" wants to accomplish. I wanted to recommend the movie. I think in theory an animated religious movie could work, see "The Prince of Egypt" (1998), but "The Star" is trying to juggle a very delicate balancing act. You have to create kid friendly characters that are funny and interesting and could still serve as vessels for the religious aspects of the movie. How do you create slapstick hi-jinks and incorporate a religious message that is handle in a serious way?
Director Timothy Reckart, an Academy award nominee (for best animated short film) centers his story on a donkey named Bo (Steven Yeun). Bo's life lacks meaning. His sole purpose is to grind grain while he is tied to a mill. Bo wants to do something important and have others realize he is a somebody. Bo and his best friend, a dove name Dave (Keegan-Michael Key) want to join a royal caravan. But how can Bo escape?
While that is being figured out, Bo and several other animals and humans, including Three Wise Men, have noticed the appearance of a shining new star in the sky. Bo believes it is a sign he must join the caravan. The Three Wise Men believe it signifies the birth of a new king.
Of course the star does signify the coming of Jesus and appears after Mary (Gina Rodriguez) is visited by an angel. The angel informs Mary she has been chosen to give birth to the son of God. Now Mary must explain to her fiance, Joseph (Zachary Levi) that she is pregnant and carrying the messiah.
The movie, rightly or wrongly, glosses over any debate or discussion the characters may have had concerning if this is true. Joseph never doubts Mary's explanation. I wonder though what will children think? Will they understand how Mary became pregnant? The movie doesn't offer a kid friendly explanation.
In order to keep children's attention the movie attempts to create action by having King Herod (Christopher Plummer) eager to find out who the "new king" is. In order to do this, Herod sends a Hunter (Lex Lang), with his two vicious dogs; Thaddeus (Ving Rhames) and Rufus (Ggabriel Iglesias), to follow the Three Wise Men, and kill the baby. This will also serve as a test for Bo and create a morality tale. What is Bo's true purpose in life? What are the things we should place value on?
Movie-wise "The Star" lacks interesting characters. It is not in the tradition of Disney / Pixar movies that are able to entertain adults and children with fully realized characters and humor all can enjoy. Even some Dreamworks movies are able to do this as well.
The voice-over work is hit or miss. Zachary Levi for example had a much better character in Disney's "Tangled" (2010) as Flynn Rider. Here he isn't given much material. The human characters are secondary to the animals. Which is fine but if these characters are meant to entertaining the children the jokes are very funny.
On a religious aspect, the movie does a fairly decent job incorporating the major elements of the Nativity story but naturally takes artistic license with many things.
I was not wowed by "The Star". I can't really imagine children will enjoy it either but it may be good to have them sit down once and watch it. Compared to "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1965) or "King of Kings" (1961) "The Star" will be much more easier for them to take in.
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