Netflix’s Colorful Skydance Animation Bites Off More Than It Can Chew

We’ve come to expect a lot from animated films — heart, humor, and character growth that blossom into a moving and memorable story. Not every film rises to the occasion, but some are less forgettable than others simply because they aimed to do something a bit different. Spellbound
, the Skydance Animation-produced Netflix film, touches upon the themes of family and the changing dynamics that could potentially make or break it. That is its greatest strength, but for some reason, it takes too long to make its point and underwhelms in other areas in the process.

Directed by Vicky Jenson from a screenplay by Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin, and Julia Miranda, Spellbound follows Ellian (Rachel Zegler), the princess of Lumbria, a kingdom inspired by ancient Spain — only made obvious by a flamenco-heavy song and dance number early on. At 15, Ellian is not living the teenage life she thought she would be. Instead of out riding and having fun with friends, Ellian — along with Ministers Bolinar (a delightful John Lithgow) and Nazara (Jenifer Lewis) — has been caring for her parents, who were transformed into monsters a year prior in the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness.

Spellbound Doesn’t Dig Deeper Into The Complex Family Dynamics

This Undermines The Heart Of The Story

Ellian’s feelings are clear throughout; she’s hopeful her parents can be restored to their human selves, though Nazara and Bolinar are convinced they won’t and wish to make Ellian the new queen. The crux of the film relies on Ellian’s desire to save her parents, but dropping us into the story just before she sets out to the Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness, rather than building up to it by setting up what the family dynamics were like before the king (Javier Bardem) and queen (Nicole Kidman) were transformed, leaves a gaping hole in the heart of the narrative.

We get a bit of that through Ellian’s memories as they quickly flash by during the song “The Way It Was Before,” which suggests everything was happy before they weren’t. It’s from Ellian’s perspective, so it makes sense that we’re just as surprised as she is when her parents make a life-changing announcement. But this reveal happens so late in the film that it flattens the emotional fallout. The best song in the film, “What About Me?”, is so great because it has all the grit and fire the rest of Spellbound does not.

I thought a bit about Brave and how it set up the dynamic between Merida and her mother, Queen Elinor. This didn’t diminish the impact of Merida’s journey to turn her mother back into a human after being turned into a bear — it made it all the more effective. In Spellbound, Ellian has a clear mission and it’s one we understand, but instead of showcasing the tension between her parents from the start, we’re left with only a couple of scenes that allude to the big announcement before they make it.

This leaves the tension between Ellian, Bolinar, and The General (Olga Merediz), who attempts to capture the monstrous monarchs and send them away. It makes for a far less powerful and emotionally hollow conflict. The focus on the adventure, while the heart of the story takes a backseat, might work for kids, who will likely be more entertained than I was, but for adult audiences, Spellbound timidly approaches a family relationship that could have been made far richer in the exploration of its complexities.

Spellbound Has Its Charming Moments

Javier Bardem’s King Solon Has One Of The Film’s Funniest Lines

The lack of heart doesn’t mean Spellbound doesn’t have a couple of heartwarming moments. While they don’t happen until the film is almost over, Ellian’s reconciliation with her parents is lovely. The way the animation team rendered the dark tornado that preys on dark thoughts is intimidating, and the fact that the film deals with more mature themes and the complicated emotions they bring up is commendable. Some of the other characters, though thinly drawn, bring charm to the story.

Lithgow has a great time after Bolinar is body-swapped with Ellian’s pet, Flink, and Bardem’s King Solon’s loud declaration about disposing of the “water inside his body” is delightfully silly and comical. The film’s animation is clean and colorful, with the characters’ clothing being a detailed highlight. However, Alan Menken’s score here is not the best the composer has ever delivered, and the songs, with lyrics by Glenn Slater, aren’t particularly catchy or memorable save for one.

Compared to other, stronger animated films, Spellbound sits comfortably in the middle. Kids will likely be delighted with it — though at nearly two hours long the wait to get to the end might be a struggle — and it offers just enough for them to keep watching. The story had the right idea, but it’s the execution that ultimately holds the animation back from soaring to the heights of its potential. I only wish it had held onto the heart at the center of the story more keenly.

Spellbound is now available to stream on Netflix. The film is 109 minutes long and rated PG for thematic elements and some action/peril.

Pros

• The voice cast is great
• Spellbound’s animation is colorful and visually pops

Cons

• The film’s setup underwhelms and undermines the heart of the story
• The reveal comes too late in the story to be fully effective
• Spellbound takes too long to make its point