VeggieTales - Esther, The Girl Who Became Queen [VHS]
A lonely trumpet solo and a narrator sporting a Jersey accent set a somewhat ominous,Godfather-esque stage for this stylish, 35-minute lesson about courage. But fear not: it's a VeggieTales story after all, and it soon kicks into action. Based on the Bible story of Esther, "just an ordinary girl" who becomes queen of Persia, this animated retelling tosses in the usual cup of Veggie humor to lighten the flavor of its very serious message. Esther, a young green onion, cannot understand why she has been chosen to wed King Xerxes (played by the humble pickle, Mr. Nezzer). Her cousin Mordecai (Pa Grape) assures her that God must have a reason; she soon discovers that her entire family's fate rests upon her ability to show courage under pressure. While this particular tale drops many of the comical sing-along aspects of other favorite VeggieTales (such asDave and the Giant PickleandWhere Is God When I'm S-Scared), its strength comes from its story line; its rich, inspired artwork; and its impressive musical score. The creative team at Big Idea continues to produce quality Christian videos for the entire family. One quibble: there's no "Silly Songs with Larry" segment.--Liane Thomas