WHAT’S IT ABOUT
When a powerful spell turns her parents into giant monsters, a teenage princess must journey into the wild to reverse the curse before it’s too late.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Despite its impressive pedigree, the animated feature Spellbound emerges as a perplexing disappointment that fails to capitalize on its extraordinary talent pool. Helmed by one of Shrek’s original directors, produced by Pixar veteran John Lasseter, and featuring music by Disney legend Alan Menken, this family adventure arrives with sterling credentials but stumbles in almost every crucial aspect of storytelling and execution. The narrative centers on fifteen-year-old Princess Ellian (voiced by Rachel Zegler), whose parents have mysteriously transformed into monstrous creatures – though their appearance skews more cuddly than terrifying. Supported by royal advisors Nazara (Jennifer Lewis) and Bolinar (John Lithgow), she’s been orchestrating an elaborate charade to conceal their condition while facing mounting pressure from the kingdom to ascend to the throne. When the oricle of the sun and the oricle of the moon, in their eccentricity, tell her to go into the falsely named Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness – a forest that has undergone personal effects – and she goes there to discover the truth about her parents’ transformation and how it can be undone. The fundamental defect of this film, however, lies in the very structure of it-or, rather, in the complete absence of one. Without a proper first act to establish the world and its characters, viewers are unceremoniously thrust into political and magical chaos with no context or emotional groundwork. The kingdom is already in turmoil, the parents are already transformed, and crucial background information remains frustratingly absent until nearly halfway through the film. This void in storytelling becomes apparent when the monster-parents finally speak (voiced by Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman), but by then, the narrative damage proves irreparable. The musical elements, which should have been a strength given the talent involved, instead contribute to the film’s scattered nature. While Zegler applies her considerable vocal talents to the material, Glenn Slater’s lyrics lack the memorable hooks and emotional resonance that typically distinguish successful animated musicals. Menken’s score, usually reliable for creating magical moments, feels and sounds like a paycheck grab. The songs arrive in such rapid succession that they begin to blur together, with only “What About Me?” standing out as a genuinely compelling number that captures the emotional weight the rest of the film struggles to achieve. Most importantly, don’t look at the camera when sing. Did you forget who the story was about? That kind of fourth-wall break only works for certain well-established characters (like Deadpool). I don’t need a POV in a kids cartoon. Visually, Spellbound prioritizes spectacle over substance, though not without some merit. While the character designs feel derivative – with Princess Ellian particularly resembling a generic social media filter creation – the animation quality shines in specific areas. The costume details showcase impressive craftsmanship, and the manifestation of a dark tornado that feeds on negative emotions proves genuinely intimidating. However, these technical achievements can’t compensate for the overall lack of visual originality. The film does contain isolated moments of charm and effectiveness. Lithgow brings unexpected energy to a body-swap subplot involving Bolinar and Ellian’s pet, while Bardem manages to inject humor into otherwise routine dialogue. Adult situations regarding family issues on an emotional level should be better highlighted. It should not be a closing surprise that the parents will be or need to be separated or even divorced. Something of this magnitude could have rewritten the entire film. At nearly two hours, Spellbound risks testing the patience of its target audience, though younger viewers may find themselves more forgiving of its narrative shortcomings in favor of its visual splendor and surface-level entertainment value. The film attempts to balance political intrigue, family drama, and magical adventure, but never quite finds its footing in any of these areas. The conflict with Ellian and The General (Olga Merediz), who wants to capture the changed kings and queens and send them away, is badly developed and does not create real suspense. In the end, Spellbound serves as a warning about how important it is to have strong basic storytelling in animation. It’s a film that, though it has big plans and many talented people working on it, fails because of structural issues and mistakes in storytelling. This proves even the finest creative teams can get lost if they forget the basic parts of storytelling to focus only on flashy appearances.
OUR RATING – A GENERIC 5