The most enchanting aspect of Disney’s new version of Cinderella is that it is NOT a reboot!!! Cheers heard around the kingdom!
Nor is it a reimagining or a reduxing or a Tim Burtoning.
Cinderella isn’t a mistreated young man with an evil Stepfather played by Terry O’Quinn. The movie isn’t told from the perspective of the glass slipper. It doesn’t take place in New York City in the 80s.
It is a good, old fashioned Do-Over. An earnest telling of the classic that feels refreshing in its straightforward approach. While it never hits majestic peaks that the 1950 animated version does, it comes damn close and will definitely sell a load of pretty blue dresses to a lot of little girls. And that’s really the point isn’t it.
Cinderella is steeped in innocence and a simple sort of wonder. Directed by Mr. Shakespeare/Kenneth Branagh with a touch of pageantry and spectacle, he makes Lily James as our mistreated heroine a glow in the dark star. James embodies the character with charm and kindness making it is easy to root for the girl.
The plot hits the bullet points you are used to but lingers on the exposition a bit too long. You see the Cindy’s mom (a beautifully blonde Hayley Atwell) do what she is destined to do: die. You see the father (a handsomely brunette Ben Chaplin) remarry and then do what he must do: die. And you see the wicked Stepmother (Cate Blanchett) get wicked. Cate does is it all with the expected gleam in her eye.
This all takes about an hour which is probably too much time getting to the ball for the wee ones. Those under 5/6/7 will probably lose interest depending on the level of ADD your kid suffers from.
But once the Fairy Godmother shows up and Helena Bonham Carter flashes here pearly white caps, things get going and become quite charming. Again, no real surprises are waiting for anyone familiar with the story. The Prince dances and swoons, the slipper is left behind and happily ever after and such.
Do we need another Cinderella? No. And I would much rather see them tell new stories than regurgitate. I think Beauty and the Beast is coming. The Jungle Book is on the way. If nothing else, let’s make sure the kids see the original hand-drawn versions. It would be a sad world if the only Sleeping Beauty you knew was Maleficent.
With that said, Cinderella has been the best of the bunch such as the recent seven versions of Snow White and Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. It teaches an easy lesson. If you’re going to remake a movie, just remake it. Don’t try to kid yourself.