Netflix’s ‘The Magician’s Elephant’ is a captivating adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s beloved novel, brought to life through breathtaking visuals and a talented cast. The film is a whimsical and magical journey that will delight viewers of all ages. The story follows a young orphan boy named Peter who is on a quest to find his long-lost sister. Along the way, he meets a mysterious fortune teller who promises to help him in his search. After being told by the fortune teller to follow the elephant, it creates confusion for him. How can an orphan stuck in the country of the United Kingdom ever get the chance to see an elephant? On the night of a magic show, a low-skilled magician accidentally summons an elephant to his show, causing a city-wide panic. However, in everyone’s fear and perception of doom, Peter seizes the opportunity and follows the elephant. In an attempt to claim the elephant in order to find his sister, Peter must follow through with three tasks deemed “impossible” by The King. If he successfully completes these three impossible challenges, then Peter will be able to take the elephant. The film is a great story paired with amazing visuals that explores the themes of hope, family, perseverance, and love.
Playing Peter is Noah Jupe, the actor responsible for playing the trouble-ridden son Marcus in ‘A Quiet Place’ series. A lot of this film’s charm lies in the naive yet hopeful acting of the protagonist. Somehow, the voice acting for Peter is able to evoke sympathy for a character whose optimism is outworldly high. Typically, with characters whose logic is overshadowed by their hope, it creates this relationship of unreliability or lack of trust, but Noah Jupe’s voice acting helped create Peter as this character that people want to root for and want to see to the end. Joining Noah Jupe on the cast list is also Benedict Wong, the actor of Wong in the MCU, who plays the Magician, and Bryan Tyree Henry, from ‘The Eternals’ and ‘Bullet Train’, who plays Leo Matienne, Peter’s supportive downstairs neighbor. There is lots of chemistry between the voice actors during the film’s dialogue and scenes. The film and its writing do a great job not tunnel visioning from Peter’s point of view, which helps show the actors’ chemistry and characters’ sympathy and care for each other.
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Praise for the Visuals
One of the standout features of the film is its stunning visuals. The intricate costumes and beautifully crafted scenery bring the world of the story to life in a truly enchanting way. The magical elements of the story are also brought to life through impressive CGI, with the elephant appearing both believable and endearing. The details on the elephant are easy to tell that they have been done with care when creating the elephant’s model. Along with the character models, the film’s color palettes for backgrounds, buildings, and characters create an array of colors that stack into each other well and create a well composition complementary color arrangement that is nice on the eyes. In terms of the art style, the unique style is to be praised, as it breaks from the common realism style that companies like Disney have delivered to movie watchers for the past couple years. Luckily, this film’s art style aligns with recent praise online. Lately, movies such as the latest ‘Puss in Boots’ and ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ have been getting buzz from film Twitter, TikTok, and beyond for their art choices. Animation fans are getting tired of being fed the same art for every popular animated release so seeing other styles and risks being taken in a different art direction are qualities of animated films to be praised.
The Film’s Great Message
The Magician’s Elephant boasts a beautiful musical score that adds an extra layer of emotion and depth to the story. The sweeping orchestral themes and hauntingly beautiful vocal performances perfectly complement the magical and whimsical atmosphere of the film. It couples with the film’s themes and message and opposes the typical slapstick humor in most animated films nowadays. The film’s heartwarming and uplifting storyline is another standout feature. At its core, the film is a tale of hope, forgiveness, and the importance of family. As Peter goes through his trials and tasks, they really do seem impossible upon the assignment. But with the chance to see his sister he lost many years ago during his orphism, Peter fights through his hesitations and takes a chance with hope and does it with family in mind. Through Peter’s journey, the film delivers a message that is both timeless and universal, making it a movie that audiences of all ages can enjoy and relate to. The film is currently ranked in Netflix’s top 10 movies in the world and it makes sense why many parents would like their children to watch this beautifully animated film tell a narrative story about the importance of persevering for your family.
WATCH THE TRAILER of the Film and the Revolution: ‘Can I Go Home Now?’
The Children Around the World Continue to Ask the question
Overall, Netflix’s The Magician’s Elephant is a delightful and enchanting movie that is sure to capture the hearts of viewers of all ages. With its stunning visuals, impressive cast, and heartwarming storyline, it is a perfect choice for family movie night or a cozy night in with friends. The film’s message of hope and perseverance is particularly relevant in today’s world, making it a timely and important addition to the Netflix catalog. The film received mixed reviews from critics. Stated to seem gimmicky, simple, or lacking in warmth, the film should just be praised for being the pure and heartwarming story that it is. The film can be slow at times and very backstory heavy for a children’s film, but it is a great energy to spread.
By Nino Vongphachanh
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