Cinderella - Review

Oh hi there Disney, we haven't met in a while, so what do you say let's take a look at another one of your movies? Today it's Cinderella, the second of a series of proposed live action remakes/re-imaginings of classic Disney animated films. The first to hit theaters was last year's Maleficent, an ambitious though heavily problematic revisionist take on the classic Sleeping Beauty villain. Maleficent wasn't without it's moments (here's my full review on it), but it didn't come together all that well, and it certainly didn't bode well for the upcoming live action Disney remakes. Next is Beauty and the Beast... one which I REALLY hope will turn out well, since the animated Beauty and the Beast is, in my opinion, a strong contender for the greatest animated film of all time. But for now, we have Cinderella... a story that hasn't exactly been a stranger to remakes. In addition to the Disney's animated classic, there's also a plethora of live action films based on or inspired by the classic fairy tale. Still, a good story is a good story, and there have been some interesting movies to made out of it. So, with that being said, here's Disney's newest take on Cinderella.

The plot follows... okay seriously? Do you really need me to explain the plot of Cinderella? Is there anyone who isn't familiar with it? I mean, when the phrase "A Cinderella Story" enters our lexicon as a common-known saying or expression, there's really no excuse for not having at least a cursory knowledge of the basic plot details. For those who aren't familiar, here's a quick rundown. Cinderella is a beautiful and extraordinarily kind young woman who tragically lost her mother as a child and her father only a few years later. She lives under the control of her vicious stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and her two bumbling but equally nasty stepsisters, often performing the entirety of the housework and taking abuse from her evil step-family. Then comes her Fairy Godmother, the handsome Prince, the royal ball... blah blah blah, you know the drill.

Now unlike last year's Maleficent, which basically re-tooled Sleeping Beauty almost from the ground up (namely by turning one of Disney's most evil and ruthless villains into a misunderstood anti-hero), Cinderella is much closer to a straightforward remake of the 1950 animated classic. Mostly anyways, it's not a musical, it does go a bit deeper into Cinderella's backstory, and it doesn't have any talking animals (well... kinda but not really). For better or worse, this is about as as old-fashioned as they get. That does come with both it's benefits and downsides. Now, I think the original 1950 Cinderella is a very good movie, though not without a few problems. The nice animation, memorable concept, and classic characters (namely the iconic villain) helped elevate it's flaws... such as the prince being a blank slate of a character and a story that... while not bad, isn't without some unfortunate implications. The idea of a character continually serving her abusive family while waiting for someone or something to take her away from her situation isn't exactly one that's aged well from a feminist perspective. Those that were expecting this new Cinderella to address this issue in a similar way that Maleficent did to Sleeping Beauty... well, don't expect many changes.

Damn it! Why is it every time I review a Disney movie it usually turns out to be half movie review and half discussion on ethics or social matters... seriously Disney, why are you such a magnet for controversy? Anyways, this new Cinderella does attempt to address a few of those aforementioned issues, albeit not nearly to the extent as Maleficent. The characters are still basically the same familiar characters as before, though somewhat more fleshed out. We see a bit more interaction between Ella (Cinderella's birth name) and her birth parents, giving a little more dramatic heft to their untimely deaths. It also spends more time emphasizing Ella's innate kindness and devotion to family, a trait instilled by her parents and partially why she is willing to put up with her step-family's abuse. It's a small change compared to the original, but it is something. They also delve a little deeper into Lady Tremaine's, or the evil stepmother, innate wickedness. It's stated that she deeply loved her first husband and was mortified when he passed. The main reason she married Ella's father was for reasons of financial dependence, even though neither of them really loved each other. The prince also gets a few scenes before the ball... hey, compared to the blank slate that was the animated counterpart, that's a definite step up. Everything else is basically the same... bumbling step-sisters, the Fairy Godmother, pumpkin carriage, glass slipper, and you know the rest.

So... after all that, did I enjoy the film? Actually... yes... quite a bit even! It would be more than a bit generous to call the film a masterpiece or to say it will have the same cultural impact as the animated version, but as far as new iterations of a story as overdone as Cinderella go, this is a very well-made and often entertaining version. The film was directed by Kenneth Branagh, the Shakespearean-trained actor and auteur of both the stage and screen. His directorial filmography of mostly Shakespeare adaptations was always impressive, but he proved to be a surprisingly adept choice for blockbuster fare when he directed 2011's Thor. He instills the film with all the visual bravado you've come to expect from his work, with top-notch production design, sweeping cinematography, elaborate costumes, and creative effects (even if the cgi isn't always perfect). The old fashioned overtones I mentioned earlier really do take shape through the visuals, as the overall look of the film is heavily reminiscent of the kind of sweeping romance films from the golden age of Hollywood, albeit with the modern special effects. If nothing else, the film is a nice visual spectacle that stands a good chance at picking up some Oscar nods for some of the technical categories.

The film's other best factor is the game cast. Lily James equips herself well as the title character, both instilling Cinderella with a natural sense of grace and elegance, while also handling the dramatic moments as well. Richard Madden piles on the charm to solid effect as the Prince, even if he still feels a few scenes short of a perfectly-developed character. Helena Bonham Carter appeared like she was having a blast as the Fairy Godmother. Her role was essentially a cameo, but she runs off with one of the film's most memorable scenes. Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger have a fun chemistry as the bumbling stepsisters, Derek Jacobi has a few memorable scenes as the King. To no big surprise, it's Cate Blanchett who pretty much steals the show as Lady Tremaine. The Wicked Stepmother role was always going to be the most show-y role in the film, and there's no doubt that Blanchett pretty much owns every glorious scene-chewing moment of the iconic character. Other heavy-hitters such as Stellan Skarsgård, Nonso Anozie, Hayley Atwell, and Ben Chaplin all have their moments as well. The film has a very solid cast, and there's no denying that a lot of the film's success is due to the talented performers.

So overall, Disney's attempt to turn their animated classic into a 21st century live action blockbuster is, for the most part, a success. I won't say that the film is perfect, but it's old fashioned charms are hard to resist and it works pretty much where it needs to. If it is still playing in a theater near you, check it out.

I give Cinderella 4 stars out of 5!