An elaborate, compelling and exotic variation on the ugly duckling tale. Khumba, a young zebra, becomes an outcast because he lacks stripes on part of his hide. Some in the zebra community call him "half a zebra" and blame him for a drought and their bad luck. Despite a love interest questioning Khumba why he cares so much about what the others think, he leaves her, the community and his family in search of a magic water hole that might change his fortunes. In doing so, Khumba puts himself in the path of Phango, a leopard that feeds on heartbeats and fear as much as the carcasses he consumes. Also a misfit, Phango was banished by the other leopards due to blindness in one eye. Phango learns to rely on other senses besides sight to survive, yet believes that having everyone live in fear of him changes who he is and for the better. Khumba trusts and assists other animals to find his way through the desert. A hopeless case when he started out, Khumba learns that things do change for the better, but not always as expected. A beautifully animated film with colorful sunsets, glowing eyes, waterfalls, moonlight and desert mountains. The personalities of the animals are diverse, humorous and intriguing, despite frequent references to rugby and soccer that many kids outside South Africa might not get. Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne and Liam Neeson join a chorus of other charming and talented personalities who provide their voices to the wildlife.
Review of Khumba
