Introduction
The 2015 animated film The Little Prince, directed by Mark Osborne and based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic novella, is a visually stunning and emotionally resonant adaptation that masterfully explores the timeless themes of childhood innocence versus the pragmatic realities of adult life. While the original book is a philosophical fable, the movie expands its narrative by introducing a parallel story of a young girl and her overbearing mother, creating a dual narrative that deepens the exploration of these themes. This review will delve into how the film uses its unique storytelling, animation techniques, and character development to examine the tension between the imaginative world of childhood and the structured, often joyless world of adulthood.
Plot Overview and Narrative Structure
The film weaves two interconnected stories. The primary narrative follows the Little Prince, a lonely boy living on a tiny asteroid, who meets a pilot stranded in the desert. Their friendship leads to the Prince sharing his adventures, including his encounters with the King, the Vain Man, the Drunkard, the Businessman, the Lamplighter, and the Rose. This mirrors the original novella’s plot.
The secondary, modern-day narrative introduces a young girl (referred to as “The Little Girl” in the film) who lives with her mother in a suburban neighborhood. The mother, a single parent, is a meticulous planner who schedules every minute of her daughter’s life to ensure she gets into a prestigious school. The girl’s life is a rigid timetable of lessons and study, leaving no room for imagination or play. This narrative is the film’s most significant addition, providing a contemporary lens through which to view the Prince’s story.
The two stories converge when the girl meets her eccentric neighbor, Mr. Prince, who is actually the now-aged pilot from the original tale. Through his stories and a magical rose, the girl is transported into the world of the Little Prince, allowing her to experience the wonder and melancholy of his journey.
Exploring the Theme of Childhood: Imagination, Wonder, and Connection
The Little Prince’s World as a Metaphor for Childhood
The Little Prince’s asteroid (B-612) is a small, self-contained universe where he can nurture his single, beloved Rose. This represents the boundless imagination of a child, where a simple object can become the center of an entire emotional world. The Prince’s interactions with the various “adult” characters on other asteroids highlight the absurdities of adult behavior from a child’s perspective.
Example: The Vain Man The Vain Man lives on an asteroid where he believes everyone admires him. He asks the Prince to clap for him, and the Prince, confused, claps his hands. The Vain Man then says, “That’s better. Now I have an admirer.” This scene humorously critiques adult vanity and the need for external validation, which children often see as pointless. The Prince’s genuine confusion reflects a child’s pure, unfiltered perception.
The Girl’s Journey from Rigidity to Imagination
The Little Girl’s initial life is a stark contrast to the Prince’s. Her mother’s schedule is a visual representation of adult control and the suppression of childhood spontaneity. The film uses color and animation style to differentiate these worlds. The real world is depicted in a sleek, 3D animation with a muted color palette, while the world of the Little Prince is rendered in a beautiful, hand-drawn 2D style with warm, vibrant colors.
Example: The Girl’s First Encounter with the Prince’s World When the girl first enters the Prince’s world, she is initially skeptical and analytical, mirroring her mother’s mindset. However, as she meets the Prince and witnesses his love for the Rose and his sadness over the Fox’s lesson about “taming,” she begins to understand the value of emotional connections. The Fox’s famous line, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye,” is a pivotal moment that challenges her logical, adult-influenced perspective.
Exploring the Theme of Adult Life: Pragmatism, Loneliness, and Loss of Wonder
The Pilot’s Perspective: The Adult Who Remembers
The pilot in the original story represents an adult who has retained a connection to his childhood self. He is stranded in the desert, a metaphor for being lost in the adult world, and his encounter with the Little Prince rekindles his sense of wonder. In the film, the aged pilot (Mr. Prince) is a recluse, surrounded by his own drawings and memories, which the girl’s mother dismisses as “junk.” This highlights how society often devalues the imaginative pursuits of adults.
Example: The Rose and the Memory The pilot’s rose is a tangible link to his past. When the girl asks about the rose, the pilot explains its significance, and the rose’s magical properties in the film allow her to travel to the Prince’s world. This symbolizes how memories and imagination can bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood, offering a refuge from the pressures of adult life.
The Mother’s Character: The Embodiment of Adult Pragmatism
The mother is the film’s most direct representation of the adult world’s constraints. Her character is not portrayed as villainous but as a product of her own experiences and fears. She wants to protect her daughter from the uncertainties of life by ensuring her success. However, her methods stifle the girl’s creativity and emotional development.
2. The Mother’s Schedule as a Visual Metaphor The film opens with a sequence showing the mother’s meticulous planning. The schedule is displayed as a complex, color-coded chart, resembling a corporate project plan. This visual metaphor equates the child’s life with a business project, devoid of personal touch or flexibility. The mother’s dialogue is often cold and analytical, such as when she says, “We must be efficient. Every minute counts.” This reflects the adult world’s obsession with productivity and measurable outcomes.
The Intersection of Childhood and Adult Life: The Film’s Resolution
The film’s climax brings the two narratives together. The girl, having experienced the Prince’s world, returns to her reality with a new perspective. She challenges her mother’s rigid schedule, advocating for time to play and imagine. The mother, initially resistant, begins to see the value in her daughter’s newfound creativity.
Example: The Final Scene In the final scene, the girl and her mother are seen drawing together. The mother, who previously dismissed the pilot’s drawings as “junk,” is now engaged in a creative activity with her daughter. This symbolizes a reconciliation between the two worlds: the adult’s practicality and the child’s imagination can coexist. The film suggests that adulthood does not have to mean the complete abandonment of childhood wonder; rather, it can be integrated into a balanced life.
Animation and Visual Storytelling: Enhancing the Themes
The film’s use of two distinct animation styles is a brilliant narrative device. The 3D animation for the modern world is precise, sharp, and often cold, reflecting the structured nature of adult life. In contrast, the 2D animation for the Prince’s world is fluid, organic, and warm, evoking the fluidity and emotional depth of childhood.
Example: The Transition Between Worlds When the girl travels to the Prince’s world, the animation seamlessly shifts from 3D to 2D. This visual transition mirrors the psychological shift from a logical, adult mindset to an imaginative, childlike one. The audience experiences this shift alongside the girl, making the themes more immersive.
Conclusion
The Little Prince (2015) is more than a simple adaptation; it is a profound exploration of the human condition, examining the tension between the innocence of childhood and the complexities of adult life. Through its dual narrative, the film argues that the two are not mutually exclusive. The child’s imagination and the adult’s experience can enrich each other, leading to a more fulfilling existence. The film’s message is clear: while adulthood brings responsibilities and pragmatism, it is essential to preserve a space for wonder, connection, and emotional truth—what the Fox calls “the essential things.” By doing so, we can avoid the loneliness and emptiness that the Prince’s adult characters represent and instead build a life that is both productive and meaningful.
This review has explored the film’s themes through specific examples from the plot, character development, and visual storytelling. The Little Prince’s journey, alongside the girl’s, serves as a timeless reminder to look beyond the surface and nurture the invisible bonds that truly matter.# The Little Prince Movie Review in English Exploring Themes of Childhood and Adult Life
Introduction
The 2015 animated film The Little Prince, directed by Mark Osborne and based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic novella, is a visually stunning and emotionally resonant adaptation that masterfully explores the timeless themes of childhood innocence versus the pragmatic realities of adult life. While the original book is a philosophical fable, the film expands its narrative by introducing a parallel story of a young girl and her overbearing mother, creating a dual narrative that deepens the exploration of these themes. This review will delve into how the film uses its unique storytelling, animation techniques, and character development to examine the tension between the imaginative world of childhood and the structured, often joyless world of adulthood.
Plot Overview and Narrative Structure
The film weaves two interconnected stories. The primary narrative follows the Little Prince, a lonely boy living on a tiny asteroid, who meets a pilot stranded in the desert. Their friendship leads to the Prince sharing his adventures, including his encounters with the King, the Vain Man, the Drunkard, the Businessman, the Lamplighter, and the Rose. This mirrors the original novella’s plot.
The secondary, modern-day narrative introduces a young girl (referred to as “The Little Girl” in the film) who lives with her mother in a suburban neighborhood. The mother, a single parent, is a meticulous planner who schedules every minute of her daughter’s life to ensure she gets into a prestigious school. The girl’s life is a rigid timetable of lessons and study, leaving no room for imagination or play. This narrative is the film’s most significant addition, providing a contemporary lens through which to view the Prince’s story.
The two stories converge when the girl meets her eccentric neighbor, Mr. Prince, who is actually the now-aged pilot from the original tale. Through his stories and a magical rose, the girl is transported into the world of the Little Prince, allowing her to experience the wonder and melancholy of his journey.
Exploring the Theme of Childhood: Imagination, Wonder, and Connection
The Little Prince’s World as a Metaphor for Childhood
The Little Prince’s asteroid (B-612) is a small, self-contained universe where he can nurture his single, beloved Rose. This represents the boundless imagination of a child, where a simple object can become the center of an entire emotional world. The Prince’s interactions with the various “adult” characters on other asteroids highlight the absurdities of adult behavior from a child’s perspective.
Example: The Vain Man The Vain Man lives on an asteroid where he believes everyone admires him. He asks the Prince to clap for him, and the Prince, confused, claps his hands. The Vain Man then says, “That’s better. Now I have an admirer.” This scene humorously critiques adult vanity and the need for external validation, which children often see as pointless. The Prince’s genuine confusion reflects a child’s pure, unfiltered perception.
The Girl’s Journey from Rigidity to Imagination
The Little Girl’s initial life is a stark contrast to the Prince’s. Her mother’s schedule is a visual representation of adult control and the suppression of childhood spontaneity. The film uses color and animation style to differentiate these worlds. The real world is depicted in a sleek, 3D animation with a muted color palette, while the world of the Little Prince is rendered in a beautiful, hand-drawn 2D style with warm, vibrant colors.
Example: The Girl’s First Encounter with the Prince’s World When the girl first enters the Prince’s world, she is initially skeptical and analytical, mirroring her mother’s mindset. However, as she meets the Prince and witnesses his love for the Rose and his sadness over the Fox’s lesson about “taming,” she begins to understand the value of emotional connections. The Fox’s famous line, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye,” is a pivotal moment that challenges her logical, adult-influenced perspective.
Exploring the Theme of Adult Life: Pragmatism, Loneliness, and Loss of Wonder
The Pilot’s Perspective: The Adult Who Remembers
The pilot in the original story represents an adult who has retained a connection to his childhood self. He is stranded in the desert, a metaphor for being lost in the adult world, and his encounter with the Little Prince rekindles his sense of wonder. In the film, the aged pilot (Mr. Prince) is a recluse, surrounded by his own drawings and memories, which the girl’s mother dismisses as “junk.” This highlights how society often devalues the imaginative pursuits of adults.
Example: The Rose and the Memory The pilot’s rose is a tangible link to his past. When the girl asks about the rose, the pilot explains its significance, and the rose’s magical properties in the film allow her to travel to the Prince’s world. This symbolizes how memories and imagination can bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood, offering a refuge from the pressures of adult life.
The Mother’s Character: The Embodiment of Adult Pragmatism
The mother is the film’s most direct representation of the adult world’s constraints. Her character is not portrayed as villainous but as a product of her own experiences and fears. She wants to protect her daughter from the uncertainties of life by ensuring her success. However, her methods stifle the girl’s creativity and emotional development.
2. The Mother’s Schedule as a Visual Metaphor The film opens with a sequence showing the mother’s meticulous planning. The schedule is displayed as a complex, color-coded chart, resembling a corporate project plan. This visual metaphor equates the child’s life with a business project, devoid of personal touch or flexibility. The mother’s dialogue is often cold and analytical, such as when she says, “We must be efficient. Every minute counts.” This reflects the adult world’s obsession with productivity and measurable outcomes.
The Intersection of Childhood and Adult Life: The Film’s Resolution
The film’s climax brings the two narratives together. The girl, having experienced the Prince’s world, returns to her reality with a new perspective. She challenges her mother’s rigid schedule, advocating for time to play and imagine. The mother, initially resistant, begins to see the value in her daughter’s newfound creativity.
Example: The Final Scene In the final scene, the girl and her mother are seen drawing together. The mother, who previously dismissed the pilot’s drawings as “junk,” is now engaged in a creative activity with her daughter. This symbolizes a reconciliation between the two worlds: the adult’s practicality and the child’s imagination can coexist. The film suggests that adulthood does not have to mean the complete abandonment of childhood wonder; rather, it can be integrated into a balanced life.
Animation and Visual Storytelling: Enhancing the Themes
The film’s use of two distinct animation styles is a brilliant narrative device. The 3D animation for the modern world is precise, sharp, and often cold, reflecting the structured nature of adult life. In contrast, the 2D animation for the Prince’s world is fluid, organic, and warm, evoking the fluidity and emotional depth of childhood.
Example: The Transition Between Worlds When the girl travels to the Prince’s world, the animation seamlessly shifts from 3D to 2D. This visual transition mirrors the psychological shift from a logical, adult mindset to an imaginative, childlike one. The audience experiences this shift alongside the girl, making the themes more immersive.
Conclusion
The Little Prince (2015) is more than a simple adaptation; it is a profound exploration of the human condition, examining the tension between the innocence of childhood and the complexities of adult life. Through its dual narrative, the film argues that the two are not mutually exclusive. The child’s imagination and the adult’s experience can enrich each other, leading to a more fulfilling existence. The film’s message is clear: while adulthood brings responsibilities and pragmatism, it is essential to preserve a space for wonder, connection, and emotional truth—what the Fox calls “the essential things.” By doing so, we can avoid the loneliness and emptiness that the Prince’s adult characters represent and instead build a life that is both productive and meaningful.
This review has explored the film’s themes through specific examples from the plot, character development, and visual storytelling. The Little Prince’s journey, alongside the girl’s, serves as a timeless reminder to look beyond the surface and nurture the invisible bonds that truly matter.