As a longtime aficionado of animated musicals, I must say that my journey through the enchanting world of “Spellbound” was a bit like stumbling upon a dusty old tome in a forgotten library – promising at first glance, but ultimately lacking the magic one seeks.
In the movie “Spellbound”, Princess Ellian (Rachel Zegler) has an uncommon predicament. At the start of the story, she speaks directly to the audience, revealing that her kingdom is unique. Unlike other realms that are inhabited by mice or mosquitoes, hers is populated with monsters. These aren’t just any monsters, though. They were once her parents – King Solon (Javier Bardem) and Queen Ellsmere (Nicole Kidman), who were transformed into their grotesque forms following a visit to a magical forest that didn’t end well.
After a grueling year caring for her challenging parents, Ellian feels drained. She and her counselors are accepting that the original guidelines may be gone for good. With this, it falls on the Princess to manage everything. However, Ellian soon discovers there might be a way to change things. Journeying deeper into the forest, guided by bright signals, could potentially heal her enchanted parents. Figuring out where to go is easy; getting two creatures who prefer licking over listening to follow…that’s a much tougher task.
In their second animated film, Skydance Animation – led by John Lasseter, a former Pixar executive who left due to misconduct allegations – attempted to emulate the style of Pixar’s earliest works with their first feature, “Luck”. This film delved into themes of good and bad luck using a work-based setting reminiscent of productions like “Monsters Inc.” and “Inside Out”. Now, for “Spellbound”, Skydance appears to be replicating the fairy tale musicals popular in the 1990s by Disney. The film is directed by Vickey Jenson, and features composer Alan Menken, a key figure in creating Disney’s iconic tunes. Glenn Slater, who collaborated with Menken on “Home on the Range” and “Tangled”, also contributes to this project.
As a fan, I must confess that the objective behind “Spellbound” seemed to be creating a computer-animated fairytale on par with classics like “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid.” However, it often feels more reminiscent of the chaotic “Itchy & Scratchy” episode from “Porch Pals.” Unfortunately, one of the issues that “Spellbound” faces is a recurring problem in modern Disney Animation: the scarcity of genuine villains. Movies like “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Strange World” could have benefited greatly from a clear antagonist for their narratives. Similarly, “Spellbound” yearns for some authentic conflict. A generic ominous tornado or a harsh general simply won’t suffice in creating a palpable tension within these sanitized events. Instead, a flamboyantly campy, subtly gay-coded villain might inject some much-needed excitement and humor into this rather formal production.
Jenson and their team are extremely reluctant about involving “Spellbound”, even a preliminary tune featuring two of Ellian’s counselors plotting a “benevolent coup” to safeguard the kingdom doesn’t stir any trouble. These schemers swiftly share their plan with Ellian! The storyline becomes more predictable as Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin, and Julia Miranda’s script unfolds into episodic adventures featuring Ellian and her monstrous parents exploring diverse fantasy realms. Challenges such as quicksand or a tunnel symbolizing good and evil thoughts are easily overcome as soon as they appear. A sequence features Ellian meeting numerous members of Flink, her purple pet/companion’s species. For just a brief moment, it seems like they might be hostile…but then everything goes smoothly!
The film lacks excitement, character development, or significant challenges, which might struggle to hold the interest of younger viewers. It’s concerning that Spellbound seems to shun elements like Gaston, Kent Mansley, or Ramses, which typically add tension and danger to a story. The animation style appears too safe and predictable, with all characters appearing overly cute and potentially suitable for plush toys. There are no sharp edges in the world of Spellbound, even the king and queen’s beastly forms are round and non-threatening. The Oracles, Ludo (Tituss Burgess) and Sunny (Nathan Lane), resemble blue gumdrops, while Flink seems like a cross between Grimace and a rat that got stuck in a teleportation device from The Fly.
The Clone Wars”. However, it’s puzzling when you consider they had enough budget for Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem to perform musical numbers in this production.
In contrast to contemporary computer-animated films such as The Wild Robot and the Spider-Verse, which consistently push visual limits, Spellbound adheres more strictly to the traditional look expected of computer-animated films. The movie features only a few musical numbers that break up the visual monotony with dreamlike imagery, like a song about “following the light” sung by characters Ludo and Sunny. However, the music by Menken and Slater does bring some bright spots to Spellbound. An early flamenco number performed by characters Bolinar (John Lithgow) and Nazara Prone (Jenifer Lewis) is a standout moment in the film.
That inspired bit of musical influence informs a song with lots of clever details. My personal favorite is how the background rattling in the tune emanates from a servant chopping a nearby hedge. It’s also great that Menken and Slater aren’t afraid to make Spellbound’s tunes sound like musical numbers straight from Broadway. Modern titles like Wish opt to deliver ditties that could inhabit pop radio with ease. Spellbound, meanwhile, features lyrics rife with very specific plot point references and overlapping harmonized dialogue between characters. Alas, Slater doesn’t come up with a rhyme here as ingenious as pairing “femurs” with “dreamers” in Tangled’s “I’ve Got a Dream.” However, rhyming “marvelous” with “larva-less” still gets him a bronze medal in wordplay.
Unfortunately, even the catchy tunes eventually lose their momentum in “Spellbound’s” second half. The musical numbers become less frequent, and when they do appear, they are presented in a fairly conventional visual style, often drowning in sentimentality. There’s a lack of energetic, foot-tapping numbers to inject some life into the otherwise dull narrative. It’s unfortunate that Rachel Zegler, who possesses a powerful singing voice and vocal energy suitable for leading roles in animated musicals, is relegated to a role that seems more suited for a direct-to-video release. Despite some impressive compositions by Slater and Menken, this feels more like a subpar adaptation rather than the grand “Tangled”-like story she deserved.
The uninspired humor in “Spellbound” is most clearly demonstrated by its overused attempts at meta jokes, which border on being cringeworthy. References to rating a frog vehicle highly and self-referential dialogue about fairy tales suggest that the filmmaker is trying to emulate their 2001 collaboration, “Shrek”. Unfortunately, “Spellbound’s” weak script fails to breathe life into these jokes, making them fall flat instead of being amusing. What makes matters worse is that these comedic detours undermine any attempts at genuine emotion. A film like “Enchanted”, for instance, managed to be both a parody and a celebration of fairy tale musicals. In contrast, “Spellbound” (with the exceptions of Zegler, Menken, and Slater’s contributions) will likely only elicit yawns from audiences, with children quickly asking to rewatch more engaging films like “The Mitchells vs the Machines” or “The Wild Robot” instead.
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2024-11-23 00:15