My movie watch on 23 August 2023 was the English-dubbed version of a truly resplendent, splendorous computer-animated French/Spanish/Belgian/Italian collaboration film entitled Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest.
Directed and written by Michel Ocelot, and released in its original French version in 2006 by The Weinstein Company, Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest presents an original but Arabian Nights-inspired story that tells of Azur, the son of a cruel Western nobleman, and Asmar, the son of Azur's hired nanny, Jénane (voiced by Hiam Abbass), of Middle Eastern heritage but who rears Azur and Asmar together as brothers. When Azur becomes a youth, however, his father sends him away to be educated by a private tutor in the city, and mercilessly dismisses Jénane and Asmar, throwing them out onto the streets, penniless.
Years later, when both are now adults, Azur (Cyril Mourali) and Asmar (Karim M'Riba) happen to encounter one another in Asmar and Jénane's Middle Eastern homeland across the sea from Azur's, but whereas Azur is welcomed and feted by Jénane (who has become a wealthy merchant) as her long-lost son in all but name, Asmar is resentful because of the way in which they had been treated by Azur's father.
Moreover, they share the same desire - to seek out, rescue, and marry the magical and very beautiful but currently imprisoned Djinn Fairy (Thissa d'Avila Bensalah), thereby making them rivals, at least to begin with. But they soon realise that they need to put aside past grievances and work together as the loyal brothers they were back in their childhood days, if at least one of them is to stand any chance of succeeding in confronting and conquering the many dreadful perils that await them on their quest.
These include defeating a rapacious scarlet lion and the equally ferocious simurgh bird, and correctly choosing between the outwardly identical Door of Shadows and Door of Light, the former leading to death, the latter leading to the Djinn Fairy. But will they succeed, and, even if they do, who will marry the Djinn Fairy?
Employing a very ingenious blending of 3-D computer animation for the characters with traditional 2-D painted backgrounds, and heavily influenced by Algerian and Maghreb art and architecture, the sumptuous multicoloured result is visually dazzling and totally exquisite, as are the music themes and alluring, bewitching songs.
This is at least for me a one of a kind animated movie, unlike any that I have seen before, and I totally adored all 95 minutes of it.
And to see for yourself, click here to view an exquisite trailer for Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest on YouTube.
Finally: to view a complete chronological listing of all of my Shuker In MovieLand blog's other film reviews and articles (each one instantly accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE, and please click HERE to view a complete fully-clickable alphabetical listing of them.
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