Set in "nine months B.C.," "The Star" is a gentle and affectionately- irreverent computer-animated retelling of The Nativity, as seen through the eyes of a clumsy and accident-prone donkey and his friends as they accompany Mary and Joseph on their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
With animation by Cinesite in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company— Cinesite provided the special effects for several of the recent hits from Marvel Entertainment, and the Hensons are the people behind The Muppets—"The Star" mostly abounds with mild slapstick, as animal characters support each through mildly perilous situations on their way to the very first Christmas pageant.
Along with his friends, the donkey—named "Boaz" by Mary, or Bo for short —seeks to protect the Holy Family from King Herod's Roman Centurion hit- man and his two ferocious hounds, occasionally encountering along the way the camels transporting the Three Wise Men along a parallel path to the same event.
Bo is also trying to elude his disgruntled owner, from whom he recently escaped chasing dreams of glory. Mary and Joseph are unaware of the dangers of their journey, due partly to Bo's inability to communicate beyond the elaborate comic pantomime which sometimes earns him a belly- rub from Mary.
Possibly "The Star" with its gentle humor, colorful characters, and superb animation works best as a means of introducing small children to the story of the first Christmas. And the picture receives considerable help from its all-star assembly of voice talent, including Steven Yeun as Boaz, supported by Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Clarkson, Aidy Bryant from television's SNL, Patricia Heaton, Kristin Chenoweth, Kris Kristofferson, and Ving Rhames.
The unlikely team of Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, and the wonderful Tracy Morgan are heard as the bickering camels transporting the Three Wise Men, Christopher Plummer voices Herod, and Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez are the frequently-harried Joseph and his practical but playfully affectionate young wife, Mary.
The picture itself has received mixed reviews—Rotten Tomatoes reports a 62% approval rating from 26 critics, with an average score of 5.2 out of 10—but audiences polled by CinemaScore give "The Star" an average grade of A.
That's the only score that really matters. "The Star" is appropriate for viewing by all audiences, but is especially recommended for the very young.
With animation by Cinesite in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company— Cinesite provided the special effects for several of the recent hits from Marvel Entertainment, and the Hensons are the people behind The Muppets—"The Star" mostly abounds with mild slapstick, as animal characters support each through mildly perilous situations on their way to the very first Christmas pageant.
Along with his friends, the donkey—named "Boaz" by Mary, or Bo for short —seeks to protect the Holy Family from King Herod's Roman Centurion hit- man and his two ferocious hounds, occasionally encountering along the way the camels transporting the Three Wise Men along a parallel path to the same event.
Bo is also trying to elude his disgruntled owner, from whom he recently escaped chasing dreams of glory. Mary and Joseph are unaware of the dangers of their journey, due partly to Bo's inability to communicate beyond the elaborate comic pantomime which sometimes earns him a belly- rub from Mary.
Possibly "The Star" with its gentle humor, colorful characters, and superb animation works best as a means of introducing small children to the story of the first Christmas. And the picture receives considerable help from its all-star assembly of voice talent, including Steven Yeun as Boaz, supported by Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Clarkson, Aidy Bryant from television's SNL, Patricia Heaton, Kristin Chenoweth, Kris Kristofferson, and Ving Rhames.
The unlikely team of Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, and the wonderful Tracy Morgan are heard as the bickering camels transporting the Three Wise Men, Christopher Plummer voices Herod, and Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez are the frequently-harried Joseph and his practical but playfully affectionate young wife, Mary.
The picture itself has received mixed reviews—Rotten Tomatoes reports a 62% approval rating from 26 critics, with an average score of 5.2 out of 10—but audiences polled by CinemaScore give "The Star" an average grade of A.
That's the only score that really matters. "The Star" is appropriate for viewing by all audiences, but is especially recommended for the very young.