Recently, I've watched the 1998 film Prince of Egypt a lot. Like probably five or six times in the past month or so. When I initially watched it during my childhood, I didn't realize how incredible of a film it was. I have the habit of only watching a film once and not really ever again watching it, so over the past two years or so, I've been going back and watching all the Disney films and other animated films in that style (And I do realise Prince of Egypt is not Disney, but they are such a brobdingnagian force in the industry that most animated films from around the turn of the millennium tend to get clumped into that category). Of all the ones I've watched recently, Prince of Egypt probably holds my title for the best wholesome movie. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is close, but that's a story for another time. So, without any further delay, here's my list of what I think makes this film great.
Art Style
One thing that is almost always overlooked in a large number of animated films is the art style. Sometimes, the animators will do a lackluster job of creating the world in which the characters reside, while other times the viewers just do not appreciate the gift that the artists gave them. However, Prince of Egypt stands out as artistically beautiful. It could possibly be due to the mix of traditional animation and computer generation, but whatever it is due to, it is done masterfully. There are so many scenes that prove this, but one of the best for this is Plagues scene. The entire scene is an artistic masterpiece, but possibly the greatest part of that scene comes towards the end, when Ramesses and Moses sing in counter to each other. They stand, seeming to form one face, then split to face each other, in a move that is cinematically beautiful. It shows the contrast in their characters and how far they have come from their earlier encounter.
Characters
Going off the previous point, the dynamic development of the characters is incredible. Although based on a previously existing story, the writers made the characters feel new and extremely dynamic, which often is overlooked in animation. So often is the story of a helpless princess who magically falls for a dashing, handsome prince, and they run off together. This movie shows the differences in the characters, and how great of a spectrum they can show. One example of this is the contrast of Miriam and Aaron when Moses returns to Egypt. Miriam, when he returns, is happy, realizing why he is there, and hoping to help in any way he could. Aaron, on the other hand, is cynical, and confronts him immediately when he sees him. One reason for this is because when Moses floated down the Nile in his wicker basket, he was followed by Miriam. She was the one who cared to look after him in that time, and in the Biblical account, she even confronts the Pharaoh's wife about the matter, offering her mother's services as a nurse and nanny.
Story
Although the story, as stated earlier, is not a new story, I felt that the adaptation did a very good job recreating the story as a whole, while still adding their own artistic touches to it. Sure, they could have rigorously followed the Biblical text, but instead, they added a large number of their own scenes that add to the story and developed the characters. From the chariot race scene with Ramesses and Moses, to the scene when he lets Zipporah go from Egypt, these scenes add a new twist on the usual story that is commonly known. Plus the musical numbers are just fabulous.
Music
Ah, the music. Where to begin. There was "Deliver Us", a Les Miserables-like opening that turns into a lullaby sung by Jochebed and Miriam. Then there was "Through Heaven's Eyes", a lighthearted dance number that lyrically gave a great perspective on the larger picture of life. "Playing with the Big Boys" gave a nice comedic twist to the typical villain song, and also gave a laugh before the serious story was to continue. Then there was "The Plagues." In my opinion, "The Plagues" is one of the most wholesome scenes in an animated movie. It has a severe impact on the story, the music that accompanies it is great, and the art style is fabulous. And finally, there was "When You Believe," the duet sung by Zipporah and Miriam. This was re-recorded by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Voice Actors
And finally, the voice actors. There are so many great voice actors in this film. Val Kilmer as Moses and Ralph Fiennes as Ramesses provided a great contrast to each other. Patrick Stewart and Helen Mirren playing Ramesses' parents provided a couple that is almost too British for its own good. Also among the cast were Michelle Pfeiffer as Zipporah, Sandra Bullock as Miriam, Jeff Goldblum as Aaron, Danny Glover as Jethro, Steve Martin and Martin Short as Hotep and Hoy-- there are just so many good actors that provided their talent to this film.
Those are just a few reasons why I have enjoyed this film recently. There are most definitely more, but, as a whole, it adapted a story that already existed in a way that not many movies can do, all while keeping it lighthearted and fun.
