A Magnificent Movie That Totally Transports You To The World Of The Story
Published: March 17, 2023
By: Avalon N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14
The Magician’s Elephant follows young Peter, who is searching for his long-lost sister, and crosses paths with a fortune teller in the market square. There is only one question on his mind: is his sister still alive? The answer — that he must follow a mysterious elephant — sets Peter off on a remarkable journey to complete three seemingly impossible tasks that magically change the face of his town forever. The Magician’s Elephant is based on Newbery Award-winning author Kate DiCamillo’s classic novel.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Avalon N. comments, “The Magician’s Elephant is a magnificent movie that totally transports you to the world of the story. It is one of my favorite animated movies that I’ve ever seen. The message of this film is to never give up hope because you never know what may come along to change your situation.”
The Magician’s Elephant
Avalon N.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14
The Magician’s Elephant is a magnificent movie that totally transports you to the world of the story. It is one of my favorite animated movies that I’ve ever seen.
This movie is about a young boy named Peter (Noah Jupe). He lives with a retired veteran of war who saved him in battle. The veteran, unfortunately, had to leave Peter’s sister, and she was blown up in an explosion. However, things take a turn when Peter sees a fortune teller who tells him his sister is still alive and to find her he must follow a magician’s elephant. When Peter tries to take the elephant, the king challenges him with three impossible tasks, and then after he performs those tasks — and only then — he will get the elephant.
The Magician’s Elephant has many notable characteristics, one of which is the animation style. Overall, the animation is flawless and very realistic. However, the clouds are one thing that doesn’t look quite as realistic, even though there is a real cloud formation called Mammatus Storm Clouds. There are also many cool locations, like narrow, twisting streets, and interesting characters throughout the film. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when the veteran has Peter march around his house saying, “Fish is small. Bread is stale. Life is not a fairy tale.” It is a very comedic moment. Another part that is very impressive is how they bring the story full circle, starting and ending with the fortune teller. Her main role is to tie together the whole story, which could make her the most important character of all.
The message of this film is to never give up hope because you never know what may come along to change your situation.
I give The Magician’s Elephant 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. It is available in select theaters on March 10, 2023 and on Netflix on March 17, 2023.