Netflix’s newest animated feature, Spellbound, directed by Vicky Jenson, has just been released, presenting itself as quite an interesting twist on the classic fairy tale. Riddled with musical numbers and vibrant colors, the film ultimately leaves the audience questioning its true intentions as it comes to a close.
The film focuses on Princess Ellian (Rachel Zegler) as she fights to free her parents, Queen Ellsmere (Nicole Kidman) and King Solon (Javier Bardem), from a curse that has turned them into monsters. As Ellian goes on the expedition to reclaim the parents she once knew, she encounters various challenges. From her sidekick Flink switching bodies with depressed Minister Bolinar (John Lithgow) to stumbling into a desert of quicksand, Ellian faces it all. Inevitably, Ellian, Bolinar, and her parents reach the kingdom’s peak, where the film takes a turn.
In parallel to the typical fairytale, the happily ever after that comes at the top of the kingdom’s peak is not truly happily ever after. Once Ellian and her parents finally reach the Lake of Light, there is a sudden revelation that Ellsmere and Solon became monsters by constantly arguing, and the only logical way to become humans again is to separate. After hearing this news, Ellian enters a fit of rage and is mere seconds away from becoming a monster herself, only for Ellsmere and Solon to put aside their differences to save her. In a flash forward to one year after their return to human form, it’s emphasized that Ellsmere and Solon have separated and only live within the same kingdom for the sake of Ellian, only adding further dubiousness to the film’s intentions.
In a film targeted towards a younger audience, it’s baffling to understand why Netflix would include such a serious topic that many children don’t understand, especially one that was merely added to the end of the film to draw out its length. Could this be why Apple dropped the project, citing that it didn’t fit the movies they planned to release under their animation branch?
While Spellbound contains many moments of lively song and dance coupled with fun characters, the forced inclusion of the divorce subplot leaves a sour taste that taints the otherwise jubilant energy the film possesses.
2.5/5 Stars