Bringing the themes of family and fantasy to the fore, Netflix wanted to enchant the audience with a Disney-themed film about a princess who ventures on a mission to free her parents from a spell that had transformed them into monsters.
Set in the magical realm of Lumbria, ‘Spellbound’ Vicky Jenson’s visually stunning animated picture sees subject matters like friendship, family, and resiliency coming to the fore. However, the magic does not always work as planned and Princess Ellian has to conquer barriers and her own daemons to succeed in her plan. You get A-list actors like Rachel Zegler (Princess Ellian), Javier Bardem (King Solon) and Nicole Kidman (Queen Ellsmere) heading the voice cast. This could have been a winner had it not been for its overwhelming plot.
Fantastical story
‘Spellbound’ explores the suppressed feelings associated with divorce and co-parenting, deftly enclosing them in a fantastical story. Ellian’s parents’ curse represents the conflict in their marriage, and the story’s power comes from its readiness to tackle such a sensitive subject in a family movie.
This is a bold step since it tackles the effects of separation on both parents and children. It makes it a compelling view for adults who could discover surprising depth in this message. The movie could fall a little short of its intended appeal, though, as the younger audience might find it difficult to understand the idea behind this metaphor.
As Princess Ellian transforms from a carefree adolescent into a responsible leader, her path is one of self-discovery and maturity. Even though the songs don’t stick in your mind, Zegler’s voice acting and singing give the character warmth and sincerity. Although Zegler’s vocals are technically stunning, the songs don’t have the same emotional impact as her performance.
Bardem and Kidman provide endearing voice performances as the monsters. It is particularly noteworthy that Bardem’s singing is unexpected considering the actor’s often solemn persona.
Nazara and Bolinar, who are Ellian’s counsellors, offer both advice and lighthearted moments throughout the movie. Jenifer Lewis and John Lithgow also bring a dash of heart and humour.
‘Spellbound’ is a visual delight. The spectator is drawn into Lumbria’s fanciful environment by its vivid scenery, fascinating animals, and intricate details. Despite a few pace problems, the story is kept going.
The movie has a great beginning, but as it goes along, its dependence on well-known clichés and story ideas makes it seem less unique.
Lack of development
The film finds it difficult to make an impression outside of its examination of family dynamics. Due to this lack of development, viewers are left wondering about the importance and purpose of the magical jungle that sets off the curse. The curse’s conclusion seems hurried and provides no emotional resonance.
Ellian unintentionally starts to attract the curse to herself as she tries to deal with the difficulties she encounters. Her parents, Ellsmere and Solon, are forced by this change to set aside their disagreements and concentrate only on supporting their daughter.
They show the continuing link of the family despite their personal issues by coming together in a heartwarming moment to care for Ellian.
There are loopholes in this story which need to be answered. For instance, the audience is not given a clear picture of how the curse is broken. Ellian would have benefited from the parents’ candid discussion of their relationship, which would have clarified the difficulties of love and partnership and helped her comprehend the reasons behind their split. Both emotional depth and narrative pleasure may have been enhanced by this extra storytelling layer.
‘Spellbound’ has its moments with a deep emotional undertone and a good ensemble of voices, but its erratic pacing and unimpressive musical numbers keep it from being enchanting.
