Joseph: King of Dreams is a Dreamworks movie from the year 2000. It is based on the Bible story of Joseph from the book of Genesis. Directed by Robert Ramirez and Rob Laduca, it tells the story of Joseph who is the most loved son of his father. His brothers grow jealous of him, and sell him into slavery. Joseph soon arrives in Egypt and goes through many different situations, such as being a slave and even being thrown in prison. When he meets his brothers again, they admit that what they did to Joseph was wrong, and they all find the true meaning of forgiveness. This movie is a really good one, and, in my opinion, one of Dreamworks’ best.
Joseph is the most loved child of his father. They were told his mother couldn’t have children, so Joseph was considered a “miracle child.” Also, his ability to interpret dreams made him even more favored (hence the name of the movie). He also was given a special colorful coat sewn by his mother, to remind him how special he was. Joseph soon began to wonder why he was treated differently from everyone else, and why he couldn’t join his brothers in their sheep farm work. Instead, he had to read scrolls and be given knowledge by his father. Meanwhile, his brothers were getting very jealous of him. They ended up selling their brother into slavery in Egypt. He worked so hard as a slave that the pharaoh’s captain allowed him to work in his home, which no other slave was ever offered. The captain’s wife actually liked Joseph though, but he wouldn’t look her directly in the eye. He was soon imprisoned, but while he was locked up, he ended up restoring his faith in God. He was eventually let out because he needed to interpret the Pharaoh’s dream, which ended up signifying that there would be 7 years of famine. So he helped them grow excess food, which they could save during the famine. However, his brothers came back to buy bags of corn, and Joseph wouldn’t let them buy anything. They said they had a younger brother, which they ended up presenting to Joseph in order to buy food and prove they weren’t lying. They reveal that Joseph’s (their) mother was no longer alive. Then they tell the story of their half brother, Joseph, who they didn’t know was standing in front of them. They said that they couldn’t bear to lie to their father again, and cause him more pain. Joseph soon reveals himself to his brothers, forgives them, and is reunited with his father once again.
This film is the best Dreamworks movie for many reasons. First of all, it is very impressive for a direct-to-video movie, and the animation is good quality. The songs are also an awesome element that help express the character’s feelings, and help set the mood of the scenes. According to an article by Bob Smithhouser on Pluggedin.com, “…is impressive for a direct-to-video title. Artfully executed dream sequences. Uplifting songs” (Smithhouser, Pluggedin.com).
Another reason why this is a great movie is that it is an
adaptation of a bible story that people of all ages can enjoy. It is a 74 minute long masterpiece, and it is entertaining all the way through. According to an article from the 3 brothers film website, “It isn’t loaded with jokes and gags and there isn’t much fighting, but it never drags and is not a sermon” (3brothersfilm.com).
Overall, this is an awesome film. The animation, the music, and of course the story itself will never get old. Have you ever seen this movie?
