The Prince's Voyage
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Thoughtful French animated tale has some violence, peril.
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The Prince's Voyage
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What's the Story?
In THE PRINCE'S VOYAGE, Prince Laurent, the monkey king of the Laankos, has washed ashore after trying to cross the frozen sea. He's rescued by a young monkey named Tom, and given shelter by Professor Abervrach and his wife Elizabeth. Professor Abervrach treats Prince Laurent like a scientific specimen and a way to come back into the good graces of the academics who mocked and exiled him for believing that there's a world beyond the confines of Niouton. While Prince Laurent responds to these experiments by pulling pranks, he becomes friends with the empathetic Tom, and Tom begins to take him on guided tours of Nioulton, where the city is continually under threat of being taken over by the sprawling jungle that surrounds it. When Abervrach takes Prince Laurent to meet with his former colleagues in academia, his colleagues refuse to believe that he came from another land, and they continue to ostracize Abervrach, and put Prince Laurent in a cage, where he comes to embody all that is viewed as monstrous and scary by the citizens at large. Tom must find a way to rescue Prince Laurent before he's scheduled to be put to death.
Is It Any Good?
This is a beautiful animated movie with thoughtful messages on our world and society. The Prince's Voyage is a story told as much through lush, subtle, and intricate animation as it is through dialogue and action. It's enjoyable not only because it's a wholly unique take on the "stranger in a strange land" story, but also because it explores so many themes relevant to our world and society, everything from our relationship with nature, with each other, curiosity and empathy versus willful ignorance and xenophobia, among others. These themes and messages are presented in a way that works with and not against the story -- it doesn't feel forced or preachy.
This is a sequel of sorts to the 1999 animated film A Monkey's Tale, as both are from the same fantastical world, but The Prince's Voyage can be enjoyed on its own terms. While often solemn and serious, there's still a spirit of playfulness in the animation, as well as some humor to balance it out. It has all the makings of a modern classic -- something that will be enjoyed for decades and generations to come. The style, substance, story, themes, characters, acting, and music work together in perfect harmony. It's a fantastic movie, and for tweens and teens who are starting to comprehend the headier themes that can be conveyed through story and film, The Prince's Voyage will surely be an inspiration.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about animated movies like The Prince's Voyage. How is the style of the animation and the story itself similar to and different from other feature-length animated movies?
What are some of the themes explored in the movie?
How is Tom's behavior toward Prince Laurent different from how the others respond to him? How does Prince Laurent respond to what he experiences in both Niouton and, later, the Land of Canopy?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: December 4, 2019
- Cast: Enrico Di Giovanni, Thomas Sagols, Gabriel Le Doze
- Director: Jean-François Laguionie
- Studio: Shout! Factory
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Adventures, Friendship
- Run time: 77 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: May 23, 2023
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