Rachel Zegler wows in Skydance's Spellbound, an unconventional fairytale about what happens when the people we love most turn into monsters.
Spellbound Review
2024 has been a year of amazing animation. From Inside Out 2 and Piece by Piece to The Wild Robot and Ultraman Rising each entry has brought something special that has resonated with audiences. To say the pressure is on for any remaining films of the year is an understatement. However, Netflix and Skydance seem ready for the challenge, delivering Spellbound– a beautifully animated twist on fairytales that sets it apart from others we have seen before. It's brimming with heart, humor, and scored by the legend Alan Menken himself.
Directed by Vicky Jenson working with a screenplay by Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin, and Julia Miranda, Spellbound seems like your typical princess story fare. The land of Lumbria is ruled by a loving King and Queen, who care for their teenage daughter. There is colorful animation to heighten the feel of wonder, magical creatures like flying cat dragons, and musical numbers that occur in predicted frequency as our characters strike out to obtain their wishes. Pretty standard, except that's not the heart of Spellbound. For one, the king and queen are literally monsters thanks to some curse and their slightly rebellious teenage daughter has been forced to rule the kingdom in secret so no one finds out. It's a film that touches on the themes of family, relationships, and honesty. But more importantly, it addresses that happily ever after can look different depending on the family, throwing the idea of “normal” out the window for a delightfully fresh twist.
It's Princess Ellian's (Rachel Zegler) fifteenth birthday and she starts it off by riding on cat dragons with her friends. She seems like a typical carefree teen until she gets back to the castle. There it is revealed she has actually been shouldering quite the heavy burden, because she isn't just studying to become a ruler, she's been one…for a year. With the help of Ministers Bolinar (John Lithgow) and Nazara (Jenifer Lewis) she has been caring for her parents Queen Ellsmere (Nicole Kidman) and King Solon (Javier Bardem) who were turned into monsters thanks to some curse in the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness. All Ellian wants for her birthday is her parents (and her life) to be normal again. She decides she must brave the ark Forest of Eternal Darkness with her parents in order to find the light and break the curse. But it won't be an easy journey and hard truths will be revealed along the way.
Despite the difficulty of caring for giant monster parents, Ellian appears to have a good attitude about everything. She's a teenager and is slightly torn about not being able to be as carefree or reckless as her friends but it's okay, she loves her parents. Ellian also remains positive thanks to her unwavering faith that everything will go back to normal. She explains all of this in the upbeat Menken and Glenn Slater number “The Way It Was Before.” However, the film's story and subsequent musical numbers gently point out that the past Ellian holds onto is not as idyllic as she remembers. Her parents were changed for a reason. This means Ellian will have to accept the fact that her love and determination can't alter the truth about her parents' relationship. It's a mature theme and something we rarely (if ever) see in mainstream animation, but it's long overdue. Much like the underrated Storks, Spellbound shows that families come in all different shapes and sizes. It's not about where you live, or who your parents are, it's about the love you have for them and they for you that makes a family a family.
We all know Zegler can sing and act, but hearing her as Princess Ellian felt like a preview for what we can expect when the live-action Snow White hits theaters next year. In fact it made me more confident in her undertaking Disney's first princess. As Ellian she pours herself into the role of a teenager trying to stay hopeful and find the light even when darkness threatens to snuff it all out. She imbues Ellian with joy, love, angst, and sadness, allowing us to fully understand where Ellian is coming from in her quest to make it all right. The best song of the film, “What About Me?” is full of fire, anger, and heartbreak. It left me with a tear in my eye due to the passion and earnest performance of Zegler.
Lithgow is clearly having a great time with Bolinar especially after he is body-swapped with Flink, Ellian's adorable pet (who is voiced by the voice acting legend Dee Bradley Baker). Bardem's Solon is the king of dad jokes and potty humor that is sure to elicit some giggles from the younger audience. Two of my favorite funny men Nathan Lane and Tituss Burgess are oracles who struggle with newer technology. The poor creatures have to get a toad-Uber and it does not go well. Negative stars for the smell just saying! Anytime these two or Lithgow's Flink are on screen are instant highlights along with the musical numbers that move the story along and give all the characters a little moment to shine.
Spellbound's animation is colorful and beautifully detailed, with a world fully thought out and populated to give you a sense of wonder. The monsters, although large and at first intimidating, are actually quite sweet and friendly when they aren't destroying their surroundings. For the king and queen, I loved how the movement and look of their faces subtly changes as they go from mindless beasts to regaining their memories. Their eyes and mannerisms shift into something more humanlike as the story progresses. When they face the evil in the forest, I was impressed with the way the literal tornado of dark thoughts spun around, not necessarily attacking but latching onto the characters. It was a unique visual way to show how we can fall prey to these thoughts, not realizing what's happening until it's too late.
Verdict
Ultimately, Spellbound is a beautifully animated, heartfelt, charming twist on the traditional happily ever after. Zegler wows as Princess Ellian, a relatable, headstrong, loving teen who makes you root for her and her quest to get her parents back. Menken, teaming up with Slater again, gives us a score that hits all the right notes. If you grew up with the golden age of Disney, this music feels like a coming home. I truly enjoyed the fact this story dared to highlight a different family dynamic and ending than we are used to seeing in fairytales. It's touching, honest, and will surely help children going through something similar to better understand their situations. That is what this genre of storytelling has always been about– helping children walk through harder things in life in a safe and loving space. I hope Spellbound encourages more stories that break out of the typical to give us something unique and timely.
Spellbound is now available to stream on Netflix. The film is rated PG for thematic elements and some action/peril with a runtime of 109 minutes.
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