Spellbound is a heartfelt, fantasy-adventure movie about family and what family means. Done with beautiful animation and fantastic songs, there is a lot to love here!
Spellbound follows the adventures of Ellian (Rachel Zegler), the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria, who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents. The movie is a modern take on a fairy tale that uses familiar elements like a kingdom, princess, king, queen, and a spell to express the story of a family.
I like that Spellbound shows unhealthy family dynamics, and the idea that many of us view our parents as monsters. And yet for Princess Ellian (Rachel Zegler), a spell really did transform her royal parents (Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem) into monsters. In making this dark fantasy come true, this transformation makes for a good analogy with tweens and parents. The movie is full of heart, laughter, and family -- all done with vibrant, colorful animation. Every scene is so beautiful that I could not take my eyes off the screen. All the characters are adorable. Spellbound features an all-star voice cast led by Rachel Zegler, who voices Ellian, playing the perfect princess with a beautiful voice. Ellian is independent, optimistic, and I like that in a princess. Nathan Lane voices Sunny the Oracle of the Sun and Tituss Burgess does Ludo the Oracle of the Moon – they are perfect together. Other excellent voice cast includes John Lithgow and Jenifer Lewis
Spellbound is about what it is that really makes a family. It is a modern fairy-tale that combines magical elements with a relatable story about family dynamics and overcoming alienation. Kids and parents will both relate to this movie, and I think it will bring up good healthy conversations. Spellbound does tackle tough themes like parents’ separation through Ellian’s eyes. It shows a child who blames themselves and tries to 'fix' their parents' relationship, but can’t -- and how Ellian handles it.
I give Spellbound 5 out of 5 stars and I recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. You can see Spellbound on Netflix now.
We also had the honor of interviewing director Vicky Jenson for the movie Spellbound.
