It says something about the power and pervasiveness of Disney films that any animated movie set in Africa draws an automatic comparison to The Lion King.
But French director Michael Ocelot's Kirikou and the Sorceress lives on the far, far side of the savannah from Simba and his cartoon pals. The side where the hero is a talking baby, women are unabashedly topless and Africa is depicted in sharp colours reminiscent of ancient art.
Kirikou and the Sorceress, opening in theatres today, is an animated movie about African myth as opposed to a standard kid's tale that uses Africa as its backdrop. It opens with little Kirikou demanding to be let out of his pregnant mother's womb, before cutting his own umbilical cord, giving himself a bath and scampering off to meet the rest of the villagers. He's not your average infant.
Kirikou soon learns that his village is being held in the grip of the sorceress Karaba, who lives in a giant hut with her fetishes - menacing sculptures that follow her every whim. Karaba has dried up the local spring, demanded all of the villagers' gold and devoured the warriors who have journeyed to do battle with her.
The fearless Kirikou immediately sets out to find a way to defeat the sorceress and liberate his village. After thwarting the sorceress' attempt to kidnap the local children, he makes a danger-filled journey across the Forbidden Mountains to meet a wise man who holds the answers to the riddle of the sorceress' past.
Writer-director Ocelot has suffused little Kirikou with a host of admirable qualities, from intelligent resourcefulness to extreme courage. He's a pint-sized hero kids can look up to, and his hair-raising rescues and clever plans to foil Karaba will likely make kids feel empowered.
The artistic style of the film is sparse but lovely, particularly when Kirikou is travelling through the forests and jungles. The soundtrack, by well-known African composer Youssou N'Dour, using only traditional instruments, lends to the film's timeless feel, like an age-old fable come to life.
Parents should be aware that there are plenty of un-Disney-like bare breasts in Kirikou and the Sorceress, and the story frankly addresses the facts of life and death. But it's all appropriate to the tale's African setting.
Kids who are old enough to sit still through a movie should enjoy Kirikou's exploits. Except for the odd extended stretch of dialogue that sparked restless fidgets, the children at a recent preview screening seemed enthralled by the story.
At just 77 minutes long (plus a delightful short opening film called Edward, Mr. Cuckoo), it's not too much for most kids to digest. Just make sure they know that there are no talking lions or flatulent warthogs in this African story.
(This film is rated PG)
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