An eagle appears out of the clear blue sky, swooping into the pastel orange canyon, over the crystal fresh river below while a majestic score pounds a marching, primal beat. Spirit's free-flying intro takes your breath, but that's just the beginning of its breathtaking motif.

Beautiful colorful images, movement, pace and Bryan Adam's music. Spirit seldom employs the spoken word, but communicates pages in the narrowing of an eye, the kicking of a hoof, the rubbing of noses.

Majestic like a waterfall, peaceful like a field of amber and green blades of grass waving in the breeze, thrilling and adventurous and brimming with the quiet strong spirit of the American West from the viewpoint of a horse.

As if the eagle wasn't enough to capture your interest, your wonder, your muse - a small herd of mustangs charge up out of a meadow, rushing passed the "camera" from both sides. Topping even that, the camera catches up to the magnificent bunch, weaving around them with grace despite the animators' complex challenge.

The picture teams with the spirit of America, the one that so many of us, herds of us Americans have traded for complacency, for safety, for "insurance" and "lawyers." We've let ourselves be bridled and broken.

Spirit is an excellent film to spark the fun, frolic and youth in our hearts. Further, this picture has action that rivals that of any live-action action film. (The Steam "roller" scene is awesome.)

A solid A film, but near the end, "Spirit" takes an inspired leap into A+ territory.