Story

Following the death of her mother, Lucky (voiced by Isabela Merced) is sent to live with her grandfather (voiced by Joe Hart) and Aunt Cora (voiced by Julianne Moore). Lucky grows up in a mansion, wanting nothing more than to escape her tutors and play with other children. When she accidentally ruins her grandfather’s attempt to run for governor, Lucky is sent back to her father (voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal).

On the train, Lucky glimpses a herd of wild horses and is immediately taken with Spirit, the wild mustang leading the herd. When rough horse thieves capture Spirit and imprison him a nearby corral, Lucky tries to befriend him, much to her father’s displeasure. But with the support of her new friends, Abigail (voiced by McKenna Grace) and Prue (voiced by Marsai Martin), Lucky slowly wins over Spirit. When the rest of his herd is taken by thieves, Lucky and Spirit lead a rescue mission in a daring attempt to get them all back.

Their journey will test their strength and force them to face their fears, but it will also reveal the truth of who they really are and what they can accomplish.

Themes

Death of a parent; animal cruelty; forging new relationships; letting go and finding yourself

Violence

Spirit Untamed has some violence. For example:

• Lucky’s mother is killed in a horse riding accident.
• A squirrel falls on Lucky’s grandfather’s face.
• Horse thieves kick Spirit with spurs and repeatedly tie him with ropes, leaving him without access to water.
• There is an explosion in the barn at Lucky’s house. Her father also stores dynamite around his home.
• Menacing horse thieves round up Spirit and his family, aggressively hitting the horses as they force them onto a train.
• Lucky is kicked in the face and is nearly hit by a train.
• Lucky and Spirit don’t make a jump over a large ravine and plummet down to the rocky valley floor.
• Lucky dreams that she kicks a horse thief in the face and then kicks three of his men off the roof of a train while trying to save the horses.
• Three men are thrown or kicked into a pole.
• A man threatens Lucky with a crowbar.
• Lucky and the horses must jump off a ship into the water in order to save themselves from the horse thieves.
• Cora repeatedly hits the thieves over the head with an oar.

Sexual references

There are no sexual references in Spirit Untamed.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

There’s no use of substances in Spirit Untamed.

Nudity and sexual activity

There’s no nudity and sexual activity in Spirit Untamed.

Product placement

There’s no product placement in Spirit Untamed.

Coarse language

There’s one use of the word ‘heck’ in Spirit Untamed.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Spirit Untamed is an animated adventure, which tells the story of how Lucky comes to the frontier town of Miradero and how she and Spirit become friends.

Although Spirit Untamed might lack interest for older audiences, it’s suitable for children aged four and over, with parental guidance recommended up the age of seven.

The main messages from Spirit Untamed are to be brave, stand tall, believe in yourself, know who you are, and never give up.

Values in Spirit Untamed that you could reinforce with your children include courage, compassion, patience, friendship and determination.

Spirit Untamed could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the real-life consequences of things like:

• disobeying parents
• going off on your own without telling anyone where you are
• taking serious matters into your own hands.