Joseph: King of Dreams (NR)

Animated Bible story too scary for very young.

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Movie details

Studio: Dreamworks SKG
Directed By: Rob DaLuca
Cast: Ben Affleck, Mark Hamill, Maureen McGovern
Running Time: 74 minutes
Release Date: 11/07/2000
Video/DVD Release Date: 11/07/2000
Genre: Family and Kids
MPAA Rating: NR

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie, based on the Joseph story from the book of Genesis, contains more violence than the typical kids' animated musical. Joseph's prophetic dreams show wolves, destruction, beheadings, and birds feeding on human flesh. Joseph's brothers plot against him, selling him into slavery. A woman falsely accuses Joseph of sexual assault. Joseph undergoes horrific trials, from slavery to prison, but overcomes them to rise to a position of power in Egypt. The movie explores how he will deal with his brothers, given his status; will he get revenge, or show forgiveness?

Families can talk about why Joseph's brothers were so jealous of him. When Joseph was put in jail by Potipher what was it that helped him through the solitary weeks and months? Why did Joseph put the drinking chalice in Benjamin's sack of grain? Do you think it was difficult for Joseph to forgive his brothers?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

This is a story of jealousy, revenge, and forgiveness. Joseph's brothers envy his special status and plot to get rid of him. When he rises to a position of power after years of strife, Joseph has a chance to get revenge on his brothers and forgives them instead.

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

As in many of the best-loved Bible stories, violence is replete. Joseph's dreams contain scary images of wolves and destruction, beheadings, and birds feeding on human flesh. His brothers push him into a pit and sell him into slavery, and a slave auction is depicted. Sordid conditions in jail, including swarms of rats, are part of the story.

Sex

Potiphar's wife makes romantic overtures to Josesph that culminate in her tearing at his clothes; rejected, she screams for help and accuses him of attacking her. Kisses and embraces between Joseph and his wife Asenath.

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Nancy Davis Kho

In the opening song, Joseph (voiced by (Ben Affleck) is told repeatedly he is "a miracle child," whose special purpose God has not yet revealed. This infuriates his brothers, who labor in the field while their younger brother studies, draped in his many-colored cloak. The brothers decide to sell Joseph into slavery, telling their parents that he's been killed by wild animals. In the pharaoh's palace, working for Potipher and his wife, Joseph shows skill in dream interpretation, organizing, and managing. During a jail term for a crime in which he was falsely accused, he gains perspective and trust in God. Joseph emerges more powerful than ever. As a result, he is given a chance to make a choice: to seek revenge on his brothers or forgive them.

Is it any good?

Two years after Moses' story got the animated musical treatment in The Prince of Egypt it was Joseph's turn. JOSEPH: KING OF DREAMS sticks to the same winning formula, drafting A-list voice talent and even better animators. But it lacks Egypt's poignant tunes and powerful storytelling -- which is perhaps why it ended up skipping the theaters and going straight to DVD.

The animation is accomplished. Particularly compelling are the dream sequences, which almost look like animated Van Gogh paintings. For an animated kids' feature, there is a fairly high level of violence, from the brothers menacing Joseph to his grisly dream interpretations for fellow cell-mates in prison. His struggle with whether to punish his brothers is touching, as is his wife Aseneth's (Jodi Benson) counsel to her husband.