Cinderella
Review by Todd Ortiz
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, Sophie McShera, Holliday Grainger, and Helena Bonham Carter.
Rated PG for mild thematic elements.
Cinderella is a tale that has been around long before Disney popularized it with its 1950 animated feature. Since then, the story has been told many times over, and now Disney has decided to retell its animated version with a live-action interpretation. In my opinion, Disney has struggled with its live-action versions of animated classics, such as Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent, but this is one that they got right, relying on the magic on which Disney has built its reputation.
We all know the story: a pretty and kind young girl loses her father and is forced into a life of servitude. Her wicked stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters will stop at nothing to see that young Cinderella (Lily James) will always know her place as a lowly servant girl. Despite the cruelty that surrounds her, Cinderella maintains a love for all living creatures and the dream that her life will see brighter days. When the king and prince host a magnificent ball, inviting every young woman to attend, Cinderella makes an impression on the prince that he'll never forget.
I love Disney. I think they have created a legacy that families can enjoy for generations to come. If I were to find a fault in Disney it would be with their live-action interpretations of animated classics. I thought Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland was a needless bore, and I hated how they treated one of their most popular villains in last year's Maleficent. Thankfully, Disney was able to find the magic once again with its rather by-the-book remake, Cinderella.
Much credit must go to star Lily James (Downton Abbey) who is able to embrace the soul of Cinderella: her unconquerable, kind spirit. I loved the promise she made to her dying mother: to have courage and be kind. Simple, yet effective words we should all be teaching our children. Director Kenneth Branagh is known for adapting a multitude of Shakespeare's works, and he brings that old-school storytelling charm to this fairy tale. He also creates a magical world, filled with enchantment. Cate Blanchett is idyllic as the wicked stepmother, and Helena Bonham Carter goes against her typical roles as the Fairy Godmother. I must also commend Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) for making possibly the most perfect Disney prince. He has charm in spades.
Cinderella does not break any new ground with the story, but that's not its concern. It is essentially an identical remake of its animated predecessor. If I were to pick a flaw for doing so, then it would be the lack of those familiar tunes. Sadly, there is no "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" or "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo." Disney is planning on a live-action Beauty and the Beast that, I hear, will keep the famous music, hopefully. I also couldn't help but compare some of the movie with the Drew Barrymore film, Ever After. For example, in that film I enjoyed how one of the stepsisters was actually sympathetic towards her poor sister, and how Cinderella (or Danielle) was rather feisty, challenging the prince every chance she got.
At the end of the day, this latest Cinderella is one that families can enjoy, filled with magic and whimsy. It embraces the kindhearted spirit of its protagonist, and Lily James makes you believe in her. All is well when you rely on Disney magic.
RATING: B+
On a side note for any Game of Thrones fans, there was a moment in the movie when it would have been perfect for the king to say to his son (Richard Madden aka Robb Stark), "All men must die." I so wish he would have said it. Maybe in the outtakes. Haha.
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