Racing Stripes

Yes, it's stereotypical, and no, it doesn't reach or even approach the experience of Babe, but it is a fun flick, and one I feel is worth a matinée ticket if you're at all intrigued. I have to give kudos to the filmmakers for using real zebra sounds and vocalizations for Stripes; little details like that can make or break a talking animal film for the viewers who actually know a bit about the animals featured in a film...and hey, is it really too much to ask for a zebra to make zebra noises? There is some amount of potty humor, especially concerning the flies and the Jersey gangster pelican Goose, but it wasn't as much as I had assumed from earlier reviews.

There certainly are better movies out there, but the kids will enjoy this one, and the kid in me did. It was predictable, but comfortingly so, and sometimes it's nice to just sit back, suspend disbelief, and have a non-taxing movie experience where talking, wisecracking animals deliver lessons in life, like how being different isn't a bad thing, real winners are those with the heart to try, and success is often due to the support of those around you. And I do have to admit that one scene near the end brought tears to my eyes, much to my own surprise.

A baby zebra (voice of Frankie Muniz) is accidentally left behind by a traveling circus and is found by a thoroughbred horse trainer, Nolan Walsh (Bruce Greenwood). Nolan takes the zebra home, and his teenage daughter Channing (Hayden Panettiere) wants to keep him as a pet. She names the baby zebra Stripes. The farm is located near the racetrack and the zebra grows up believing that he is a racehorse. Stripes has a dream of racing the other horses at the track, and to get into shape, Stripes races the mailman in his truck. All the farm animals help Stripes and Channing achieve their racing dream. This is a cute movie made in the same framework as the movie 'Babe', where all the animals speak to each other. The horseflies Scuzz and Buzz (voices of David Spade and Steve Harvey) had some of the funniest scenes. This is a light hearted film that your children will like. Don't take the script too seriously or you will miss the fun. (Warner Brothers Pictures, Run time 1:34, Rated PG) (4/10)

Is Racing Stripes a masterpiece? No, though I wasn't expecting it to be. Is it an abomination? Again, no. If anything, in my view it is just above average. It does have a predictable story, the characters are stereotypical, some of the script is a little cloying and unfocused and the film is too short. Conversely, Racing Stripes doesn't try to be any more than it already is. It is an inoffensive and charming film, which is what it promised, and I think it worked in that aspect. Some of it is sweet and fun, the film moves quickly, the soundtrack is infectious and the scenery and photography are gorgeous. Also the live action animation is great, and the acting while not award worthy is decent with Frankie Muniz particularly surprisingly good. Overall, it is a good movie, not great, but I was expecting worse. 6/10 Bethay Cox

I thought this was a very funny movie. I laughed a lot and don't think that the jokes were too much (maybe the pecker joke). Someone said that the first 20 minutes were slow but OK to get used to the animation, but I think the animation was done really well and the race with the mailman is in there as well. The mailman was very cool ! (my father is a mailman, but this one is a lot more fun and hotter). I would have liked to see more with him. Hopefully he will be in more films.

The relationship between the father and the daughter could have been a little better, but the father and the zebra are nice together (with the training).

The story is a lot of fun for kids and families. My 5 year old loved it !! The horses are really beautiful. and so is the zebra (especially as a baby) I have never been to Kentucky, but I did not know it was not made in America, it looked beautiful.

All around I think you will like this movie !

Although the humor is a bit sophomoric and the story predictable, Racing Stripes had my 7 and 9 year old grandsons giggling. Since they are probably the target audience, the movie was successful. I am more concerned when Hollywood inserts unnecessary inappropriate language into an otherwise suitable movie to satisfy someone's idea of reality or sophistication. Please refer to the "Francis the Talking Mule" films which were admittedly cheesy, but rather hilarious. I recently saw one for the first time in over 40 years and realized it was still funny. A key element in a movie of this type is to have good people (or animals) to root for.