It’s perhaps the most literal teenage turmoil that ever was – what if your parents really were monsters? This is the dilemma that faces Princess Ellian in Spellbound, an animated musical from Netflix and Skydance Animation that’s finally made it out of the gates after a bit of a troubled production. While the film hits a lot of familiar story beats, it has its own story to tell – one that could be beneficial for children and parents alike.
It’s been a year since Princess Ellian’s life was turned upside down by her parents’ strange transformation – and while she tries to keep her spirits high, trying to keep the secret of what happened to the king and queen while wanting to just be a teenager is a difficult balancing act. Their associates, who are aware of the curse, insist to her that the king and queen are no longer in there – and it’s easy to buy when they do nothing but grunt and try to eat royal guards. Still, Ellian remains determined to save her parents, and after a failed attempt to break the curse turns the kingdom against the ‘monsters’, she sets off on a quest to save them, and hopefully get things back to the way they once were. But is familiarity always the best choice?
The first thing you might notice about Spellbound is its striking similarities to the beloved animated musical Encanto. While not to the point of plagiarism, it’s easy to make comparisons when both films open on the protagonist, a young girl who seemingly is trying her best to keep her family together with a smile and a song, while those with a keen eye can see the cracks starting to come through. Unfortunately, unlike Encanto, the music doesn’t have quite the staying power – while Rachel Zegler has remarkable vocal talent, the songs themselves aren’t the earworms that “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” or “The Family Madrigal” were. The story itself wouldn’t lose anything without the music, except for a potential marketing hook.
The film’s sense of pacing might have always been slightly improved without a song or two. At 110 minutes, it certainly isn’t the longest children’s film, but attention spans are only getting shorter and shorter. It can initially catch the viewer off-guard that, unlike a transformation story such as Brave, Spellbound’s opening number throws us right into the action – Ellian’s parents have been monsters for a year now, and times have gotten desperate. Furthermore, at a later point in the film, a time card appears that is so abrupt I almost couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Perhaps it was just edited wrong.
Even frontloading on its flaws, Spellbound isn’t a bad watch by any means. It has a lively cast of side characters, including Sunny and Luno, Oracles of the Sun and Moon and adorable life partners who Ellian turns to for help with breaking the curse. Ellian’s fluffy purple rodent Flink seems prime for merchandising as well – even though the majority of his screen time ends up being with the voice of Minister Bolinar, as a spell gone awry causes the two to switch bodies. However, this turns out to be a positive experience and subplot for Bolinar, who gets to see life through a smaller, but much less stuffy perspective. He also comes to understand, through a lively and slightly gross musical number full of bug-eating, that the person inside doesn’t disappear with a new body or new experiences, no matter how strange or cursed.
Upon release, the film began to receive criticism (see: dramatic Facebook posts) who were caught off-guard by its approach to family turmoil and dysfunction. Ellian certainly is forced to grow up fast due to the curse, and as she continues on her journey with her cursed parents, she’s forced to confront the fact that she’s been treated unfairly by them. Even as she tries her best to sing and dance her way out of the pain, it doesn’t stop a cloud of darkness from lingering over her – one that many children who are caught in the middle between two parents can relate to. It’s hard to defend the film without spoiling parts, but ultimately, both of her parents realize that despite their troubles, their daughter deserves to know that she’s just as loved by both of them. It’s a loving message that kids in difficult familial situations can benefit from hearing. The movie certainly does not “normalize divorce,” as it’s been accused of doing. That train also left the station a long time ago.
Overall, Spellbound is a flawed but heartfelt musical that dives into more serious issues than one might expect. At the same time, it executes these themes with precision, which is honestly the most important part of a children’s film being willing to tackle serious issues. At the same time, it balances these concepts with enough cute creatures and humor to keep the youngest viewers entertained, though they may get a bit antsy at the runtime. At the same time, the film can open up important discussions about when ‘staying the same’ can be actively harmful to those you love the most, and the unconditional love that parents should have for their children. And for the parents at each other’s throats who turned this on for Thanksgiving and are upset they see themselves in these monsters…good luck.
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