The Star

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2:00

The Star

PG

2017

1h 26m

Kids & Family

Holiday

Comedy

Adventure

Animation

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

46%

Tomatometer

50 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day, he finds the courage to break free, embarking on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a lovable sheep who has lost her flock, and Dave, a dove who has lofty aspirations. Along with three camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told -- the first Christmas.

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Critics Consensus

The Star may not leave audiences singing "Hallelujah," but its offbeat yet sincere approach to the nativity story makes for acceptably diverting holiday viewing.

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

Dec 1, 2017

2/5

The film believes its myths and propagates them through some of the cheesiest God pop you could ever dread to hear.

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Jake Wilson

The Age (Australia)

Dec 1, 2017

1.5/5

This thin storyline is padded out with subplots that showcase a bizarrely star-studded voice cast.

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Ed Potton

The Times (UK)

Nov 29, 2017

1/5

Why has nobody thought of this before - the Nativity retold for kids via knockabout animal animation and gloopy pop ballads? Oh yes, because it's an absolutely dreadful idea.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Sep 1, 2021

2/4

Neither the humor nor the animation ever rises above humdrum.

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Hosea Rupprecht

Pauline Media Studies

Aug 24, 2021

The Star is a wonderful retelling of the Christmas story but with a fun twist: the animals who inhabit the story drive the action.

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Jason Escamilla

EskimoTV

May 8, 2019

C-

Not a lot of enjoyable moments for adults to engage with but families may enjoy watching, as it is a kid-friendly telling of the birth of Jesus.

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Eve Z

@RT97966457 2 days ago

A fun and sweet movie for young and old alike. Add it to the Christmas movie watch-list for its captivating storyline and clean humour.

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diogo13 T

@Tua_mera Jul 13, 2026

This animation offers a light and fun perspective on the Nativity by focusing on the animals' journey. Although it doesn't bring any artistic innovation and relies heavily on visual clichés from modern digital productions, it manages to balance the religious message with effective family entertainment, without becoming excessively tedious for adults.

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom Apr 18, 2026

The Star (2017) is a lighthearted animated retelling of the Nativity story told from the perspective of the animals involved. While the idea is interesting and clearly aimed at a family audience, the execution feels fairly average and doesn’t fully stand out among other faith-based or holiday animated films. The animation is colorful and serviceable, and there are a few charming moments, especially with the animal characters. However, the humor is often too simple, and the story stretches itself thin trying to add comedic side plots that don’t always land. The emotional impact of the historical story it’s based on is also softened quite a bit, making it feel less meaningful than it could have been. It’s not bad, just very middle-of-the-road—watchable for kids, but not particularly memorable. Overall, i'd gave it a 5/10.

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vanessa R

@RT58567972 Mar 15, 2026

Muy buen película cristiana donde ver : Netflix (en la temporada navideña) clasificación G

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Evan I.

@WhyteTiger Mar 3, 2026

This movie is so underrated. It deserves so much more recognition. Watch it. It's amazing I promise

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Parents C.

@veronicaglaude Feb 4, 2026

This is an adorable family friendly movie about the animals perspective during the birth of thee Messiah Christ. The other reviews feels personal towards the faith than about the movie itself. I enjoyed the hilarious camels and didn’t realize how many celebrities were in this film. My favorite character is Dave the bird. I also cried when every knee bowed when Christ was born. Is this movie memorable no is it kid friendly yes.

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Timothy Reckart

Director

Steven Yeun

Bo

Keegan-Michael Key

Dave

Aidy Bryant

Ruth

Gina Rodriguez

Mary

Zachary Levi

Joseph

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Synopsis

A small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day, he finds the courage to break free, embarking on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a lovable sheep who has lost her flock, and Dave, a dove who has lofty aspirations. Along with three camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told -- the first Christmas.

Director: Timothy Reckart
Producer: Jenni Magee-Cook
Screenwriter: Carlos Kotkin
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Franklin Entertainment, Affirm Films, Walden Media, Sony Pictures Animation, Columbia Pictures, The Jim Henson Company
Rating: PG (Some Thematic Elements)
Genre: Kids & Family, Holiday, Comedy, Adventure, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 6, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $40.4M
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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