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Kirikou and the Sorceress

Play trailer Poster for Kirikou and the Sorceress 2000 1h 14m Adventure Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
The tiny Kirikou is born into an African village upon which a sorceress called Karaba has cast a terrible spell: the spring has dried up, the villagers are being blackmailed, the men of the village have either been kidnapped or have mysteriously disappeared. He wants to rid the village of the curse so he goes on a voyage to the Forbidden Mountain, where the Wise Man of the Mountain, who knows of Karaba and her secrets, awaits him.
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Kirikou and the Sorceress

Kirikou and the Sorceress

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Critics Consensus

Kirikou and the Sorceress is a beautifully uplifting throwback to a simpler animated era, with refreshingly unique art and a timeless soundtrack.

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Critics Reviews

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Lisa Alspector Chicago Reader 03/10/2008
TAn enchanting, life-affirming animation of love and redemption, made with no small measure of maturity and care - along with an all too rare respect for the art of storytelling. Go to Full Review
Ted Shen Chicago Reader 03/10/2008
A marvel for eye and ear. Go to Full Review
Frank Scheck The Hollywood Reporter 03/10/2008
This charming animated feature is a welcome antidote to the relentless cutesiness inherent in so many child-oriented toons. Go to Full Review
Ard Vijn ScreenAnarchy 01/17/2020
One of the best animated movies of the last few decades and certainly one the most original, it comes with the highest possible recommendation. Go to Full Review
Nathanael Hood The Young Folks 04/16/2015
The film itself is a visual masterwork, both innovative and endlessly creative in design and execution. Go to Full Review
Ali Catterall Film4 03/10/2008
An enchanting, life-affirming animation of love and redemption, made with no small measure of maturity and care -- along with an all too rare respect for the art of storytelling. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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William L 06/12/2022 One of the coolest grandfather characters in all of cinema. The animation is Kirikou and the Sorceress doesn't impress as much with its technical sophistication as much as it does with its vibrancy and artistic design, which will each go much further in establishing the film as an enduring representative of the medium. Simple but distinctively presented, this adaptation of West African folktales (a collaboration between half a dozen or so film companies that are surprisingly exclusively European) feels like just the right combination of realistic qualities, the supernatural, and distinctive cultural elements. If someone tries to convince you that Kirikou is aimed exclusively at a younger audience, know that they're wrong; while it may seem passé to some to release a film with a character that is pure of heart struggling against a greater evil, this feature debut from French director Michel Ocelot demonstrates a particular competency for storytelling and visual design that makes it a rewarding experience for any viewer. No idea why the nudity here was considered controversial upon release, even for a movie that is ostensibly aimed at a younger audience; it's tastefully done and non-sexualized, more reflective of the greater comfort with the human body among the cultures that inspired the narrative than anything else. (3.5/5) See more 05/01/2022 Sometimes the moral of the characters are so thin and fast-changing that bothers a little bit, but the story is worth-watching just for the knowledge of another culture (that is never shown anywhere), the static animation is charming and to see a voice cast as good as this, even when the animation falters, they save the film. Is good to know other worlds aside from USA. See more 06/01/2021 One of those movie with as good animation as original script, it's a success for the Animation French Cinema. 9/10 See more 10/16/2020 It's a West African fairy tale competently told through animation. See more 11/04/2019 A superbly charming animated film! The soundtrack evokes a strong presence of culture that is ever present throughout the movie. The humor was quite cute, and it consistently felt like a delightful little fairy tale. I would recommend! See more 05/14/2018 One of the best foreign animated movies ever made. See more Read all reviews
Kirikou and the Sorceress

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Movie Info

Synopsis The tiny Kirikou is born into an African village upon which a sorceress called Karaba has cast a terrible spell: the spring has dried up, the villagers are being blackmailed, the men of the village have either been kidnapped or have mysteriously disappeared. He wants to rid the village of the curse so he goes on a voyage to the Forbidden Mountain, where the Wise Man of the Mountain, who knows of Karaba and her secrets, awaits him.
Director
Michel Ocelot
Screenwriter
Michel Ocelot
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Trans Europe Film, Les Armateurs, Exposure, Studio O, Monipoly, Odec Kid Cartoons
Genre
Adventure, Animation
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 18, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 14m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR
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