This is a great fairy tale animation, both for kids and for "older kids"; it's among the best animations I've seen in the last decade. (I'm surprised it's not better known in the U.S., and suspect the issue is incomplete understanding of the language options, leading to the mis-conclusion that subtitles are necessary. -see below-) It's rather like another episode of "1001 Arabian Nights". Like any fairy tale, it plays fast and loose with time (16th century or 20th?) and place (Arabia or Persia?). There is no gore, very little blood, no glorification of violence, no double entendre talk (well one raised eyebrow once) ...and no "good guys" or animals die. Although it started out a bit slow and simple, I was soon pulled in so thoroughly I couldn't even contemplate pausing the DVD while I went to the bathroom.The animation backgrounds appear to be typical 2D paintings, sometimes with multiple layers. Two things about the backgrounds stand out: First, they are highly detailed and variegated. And second, they use a lot of different strong colors at every opportunity - stained glass windows, meadow flowers, a spice market, dyed yarn, architectural tiles, geometric building decorations, etc. The magical figures appear to be 3D models, but so outrageously patterned and colored they're a feast for the eyes. The human figures also appear to be 3D models, but very simple ones, and in most cases projected as just simple flat areas of solid colors. Clothing mostly doesn't "drape", although flags, pennants, and sashes wave here and there.A couple effects are used especially well. One is the movement of point source lights. Walls and rooms subtly change color from one end to the other. Direct sunlight in the observatory is blinding. Fireflies light a scene. Darkened rooms gradually turn into brilliantly light ones as individual lights come on. And djinns cause showers of sparks. The other is swirling particles. Dust comes together into imagined figures (rather like seeing figures in the clouds). Fog envelops figures so thoroughly they disappear. A crystal prison shatters and the shards form an arch before disappearing.In summary, the animation doesn't attempt to do 3D model animation better than Pixar, instead going off in a completely different direction. Rather than being clever and realistic, the animation flaunts its gorgeousness and the focus is on the story line. The figures are adequate to convey the story, but without any attempt to be marvels in their own right. Another difference from typical Pixar wannabes is there are no pop culture or current events references here; rather than presenting jokes every few tens of seconds, this animation relies simply on impeccable pacing of the story itself.The "moral" of understanding diverse cultures and its benefits is hammered home again and again. Even the end credits call attention to the diverse cultures the animators came from.A perfectly serviceable English audio track exists; it was on the DVD I got from Netflix in late 2011. Younger viewers and others not comfortable with subtitles may find this the best way to make this animation accessible. The mismatch between mouth movements and the English audio is not distracting. This simpler view is complete and enjoyable; there's no need to understand any more.But if you want to look a little deeper, it quickly becomes apparent that characters often switch between speaking French and speaking Arabic, sometimes even to different individuals in the same scene. Some of the jokes only halfway make sense if you're not aware of the language switches. And in a couple places the language switches are even relevant to the story line itself. Unless you know either French or Arabic, or have very quick ears, you may not be able to pick out all the language switches. The best way to understand them (for me at least) was to select "French" as the spoken language track and "English for the hearing impaired" (_not_ the regular "English") as the subtitle track. The "English for the hearing impaired" subtitles not only provide the dialog itself, but also indicate what language is being spoken. In fact, these subtitles are some of the best I've ever seen at conveying multi-lingual content.

I recall the trailer of "Azur and Asmar: The Princes' Quest" was impressive, hence I made it a point to catch it when it's briefly showing at the local indie theaters. It was 99 minutes well-spent and more when writer-director Michel Ocelot appeared at the closing credits. We learned that he created the animation in Photoshop, it was a 6-year effort to have the feature length completed, distributed and first released in France in 2006. The drawings are beautifully detailed and in brilliant colors, depicting a thoughtful dramatic story that exudes fairytale adventure qualities and encompasses cultural diversity themes.Azur is fair-skinned and blue-eyed, and Asmar is dark-skinned and dark-eyed. Both are brought up by Asmar's mother who is also nurse-mother to Azur. When they grew up, together they became fascinated with the legend (as told by mother Jénane, voice of Hiam Abbass who's the mother in "The Visitor" 2007) and pursuit of the rescue to the Djinn Fairy. In their adventures, they met and gained the allied assistance of the agile, energetic little Princess Chamsous Sabah, and accompanied by the goggle-eyed opportunist Crapoux. The adventure segment reminds me of Tarsem Singh's "The Fall" (2006), its visually exotic elements and magical characters. The challenges they encounter and have to resolve one by one are reminiscent of the excitement and anticipation in "The Lord of the Rings" series. The conclusion is nothing short of the grandeur and sparkles of Disney-fare court finale as in "Beauty and the Beasts" or "Sleeping Beauty." Yes, definite an animation to enjoy (on the DVD, there is English version which is free from distraction of subtitle-reading.) Also available on DVD, do check out the other marvelously original and worthwhile writing & direction of Michel Ocelot's animation feature: "Kirikou and the Sorceress" (1998) - simply entertaining story & adventure with (tiny) little Kirikou, including intelligently instilled cultural diversity points of view, subtle or not. Aptly paced music again enhanced Ocelot's skillful storytelling, both enjoyable for children and adults as well.

Maybe I've been lately overwhelmed by the Miyazaki's and Oshii's works. To not to mention a couple of other good-to-great names, for a 3 year period approximately. but it seems to me that there was already set some good rank for animation and background quality as in 2d and in 3D. So, the animation of a few main characters is awful. Jerky and Frankenstein-like stomping-the-ground movements are everywhere. mimics is lazy and not too complicated in terms of broad range of emotional expressions and variativity between some of the characters. The lone good one was a princess. It is live and energetic, leaving the very warm feeling and smiles on audience faces.Strange enough to see a mixture of well detailed faces with single color shaded clothes. As it seems to me it is more to make it simple to produce than some kind of artistical expression. That's because 3D models were overlaid on 2D backgrounds that was far too simple. Not much details, nearly no depth and interesting lighting which is always been the salt of moving pictures. not much movement on the background. That lack of the attention spots at deep layers produces somewhat dull picture that sure attracts the eye to the only moving and not so flat figures.The script can be characterized as full of mumbling and sticky places. Fairly standard princess and knight story. Remember the core of the "shrek" plot? I understand that is a tale of being a Human and a friend, to be simple. Although the beginning of the movie is filled with strong tension. The visions of heroic deeds that should be accomplished. But at the some key moments it makes a glimpse of treat and a second later it is gone far beyond. For me it's a bit frustrating to see the long and long chewed horrors to disappear magically and quickly. Before and then comes a few long scenes that picture a cornerstone events with far too simple words and explanations.I think now, that movie can entertain and be a good lesson of friendship to a little child, but not enough for a mature human being ;)

I saw this today as part of the London Children's Film Festival 2006 at the Barbican Centre and found it completely and utterly satisfying. Every second of screen time is mind-blowingly beautiful to the point of being painful - from the wild flowers on the field where the title characters played as boys, to the starlit silhouette of Azur and the Princess on a treetop. But don't let the sumptuous visuals make you think this film is just eye candy. The story is engaging and yet profound, the characters vivid, and the message (yes, it has a message, but what's wrong with that?) is inspirational; a quality that the English-language animated films of the last decade has completely eschewed. Ocelot's early 'Princes et Princesses' was enchanting and promising, and both his Kirikou films were endearing. But with 'Azur' he has totally ascended to a different level. It is admirable how he consistently refuses to dumb down his characters, and the delightful ending is wonderfully faux conventional in Ocelot's trade mark style. Difficult to see how popular this would be with today's kids, but a generation growing up inspired by 'Azur' would no doubt be more pacifist and tolerant.