Daredevil Lucky Prescott has lived in the confines of civilized life at her politician grandfather’s East Coast estate since her mother passed away trick-riding horses. When she disrupts her grandfather’s campaign for governor, she and her aunt move in with her estranged father on the outskirts of the western frontier. Lucky meets two young horse riders, Pru and Abigail, and a wild stallion named Spirit, who show her that she has her mother’s horse-riding genes, and maybe her adventurous recklessness is really courage.

Beautifully depicted by Jellyfish Pictures (How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming), the sequel to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron captivates the audience visually, while the storyline fosters the emotional connection with the characters. A wild western of an animated adventure, the focus on female-driven storytelling with heroines front and center provides an excellent example of what young women can do (echoing animated films like Brave or Tangled). The friendships between Lucky, Pru, and Abigail, and the girls and their horses, show a cross-cultural emphasis on appreciating each others’ gifts and finding the commonalities in the midst of our differences.

Underneath all of the adventures exists this backbone of a lesson: Don’t ever give up. While there are different elements and moments of this throughout the story, one of the most beautiful moments in the film occurs when Lucky’s friends have to remind Lucky about who she is when she’s feeling down. Empowered, she rises to the great heights that she was always destined to — a combination of nature and nurture — and in the process, she becomes the liberator of others, setting captives free.

The Dove Take:

This beautifully animated, dramatically scripted adventure provides laughs, excitement, and encouragement to courageous decisions for the whole family, and is Dove approved.